


Feels like drowning

by Hangmans_Radio



Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: M/M, Mermaids, Sexual Content, merman frank
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-03-22
Updated: 2013-12-23
Packaged: 2017-12-06 01:49:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 98,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/730242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hangmans_Radio/pseuds/Hangmans_Radio
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It is a tradition amongst the merfolk that every year those who are of age will go to the shore in order to mate. For centuries they have never been seen, but then an accident causes Frank to be separated from his partner and he finds himself lost in the human world. When he meets a struggling artist he is forced to make the hardest decision of his life - to stay on land or return to the sea.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter one

**Author's Note:**

> My first chaptered story on this site, so a little nervous. Any constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated.  
> I've also posted this story on ficwad.com

“Alright folk’s, that concludes today’s session. Please don’t forget to revise everything you’ve learnt ready for next week and we’ll see you at the drop off point on Saturday. Have a good week.”

“Awesome!” Frank beamed, grabbing his things and shooting up from the rock he had been lounging on. The professor was bobbing about in the water, sticking around in case anyone had any questions. A few of Frank’s classmates were looking a bit green around the gills, clearly anxious for what was to happen in a week’s time but Frank was nothing but excited.

“Jamia! Hey!” Frank beamed, waving at one of the girls treading water with her friends. She turned and smiled at Frank, waving a hand up and swimming over to him. 

“Hi Frankie.” She smiled, her black hair floating around her head from the slight current in the water. “What’s up?”

“You swimming my way?” Frank asked brightly, Jamia nodding and turning to swim with him back home.

“As always.” She smirked, noticing Frank’s good mood and giggling slightly. “You excited for next week?” She asked, already knowing that he was. Frank had been excited since day one. This was the most important event in every merperson’s life... the day when they would get to go up to the surface for one night and mate with their partner in order to create life. No one got to choose their partner, that was just a given, the species survival was crucial and so everyone was matched to their partner based on their genetics. Jamia and Frank had been matched on fertility rating, Jamia’s was low whereas Frank’s was high and it was the hope that with Frank’s sperm Jamia would still be able to conceive in the one night they had. 

“I’m so excited!” Frank beamed, swimming slowly towards his home with Jamia. They lived close together which was why they always swam home as a couple. Some partners only ever saw each other in the classes, but Frank and Jamia had become good friends. There was no obligation to see each other after the mating had ended. Children were raised by the community as a whole, not by the two parents like humans did. 

“I’m a little nervous.” Jamia admitted as she swam with Frank, looking at him with an anxious smile. “The human world sounds so strange. Their behaviour is... Odd.” She frowned, making Frank chuckle. 

“I know, but it’s not like we’ll see them.” He shrugged, not worried himself. 

The classes every person was made to take were there to teach them about the human world above. They already spoke the language of the humans, a tradition that had been passed on since the dawn of time. Many believed the humans had stolen the language from the merpeople, but Frank thought that was just an old wives tale. Along with the language though they were forced to understand the basic conventions and behaviours of the humans, should anything happen that they needed to interact with them.

Back in the old times, hundreds of years ago, the merfolk had been able to go to the surface and mate on the beach in the dead of night without fear of being caught. Now though things were much riskier. Even getting to the shore was much more dangerous now. Some merpeople, many miles away across the sea, could go up onto sandy beaches like the merfolk of old, here though the nearest land was a harbour and so Frank and the other merfolk of this area would be forced to navigate their way to shore whilst dodging ships, piers and the humans many strange underwater items such as fishing nets and traps. 

If they succeeded to make their way past these obstacles without being caught or seen, they would then have to make their way onto the land somewhere where they would have enough time to dry off and develop legs without any humans passing by and seeing them. Frank and Jamia’s point was going to be beneath a pier, there they would wait until their human forms had taken hold of them and they would have to mate as humans would. They had been given many classes on how to do this, and Frank was confident he’d be able to work it out though at first he had been a little grossed out by the description of the body that he was going to change into.

“What if we are seen though Frankie?” Jamia asked nervously, referring to the humans as she swam beside Frank at his leisurely pace. “I don’t think I’d ever forgive myself if we jeopardised everyone’s safety by being seen.” Jamia kept her voice low, not wanting anyone else to hear her fears. It had taken her a while to pluck up the courage to even tell Frank, but with the trip only a week away she knew she couldn’t keep it from him.

Frank looked at Jamia with a warm smile, reaching out to touch her hand and squeeze it gently. “Don’t worry so much. No one’s been seen in centuries. Not since the old ships with the fabric sails. And you know what everyone says, humans don’t even believe in us anymore. If they catch a glimpse of us they’ll just think they imagined it.” 

“But what if –”

“Honestly Jamia, it’s going to be fine.” Frank chuckled, leaning over to peck the young girl’s cheek as they swam slowly through the water. “Humans are not smart creatures. Everybody knows that. They won’t see us; they’re blinded to anything but their own arrogance.” 

“If you say so.” Jamia sighed, not at all convinced but she could tell nothing she said was going to make Frank worry about the trip. It wasn’t that she particularly wanted him to be anxious; she just couldn’t understand why she was the only one nervous about going. Even if Frank was right and they weren’t seen or caught or anything like that, they’d still have turn into humans with those disgusting genitals and have sex. Apparently humans enjoyed fornicating, but from what they had been told about it Jamia thought it sounded messy and inconvenient. She couldn’t understand why merpeople couldn’t just reproduce like fish, it would be much easier.

Frank on the other hand was feeling more excited by the day. Admittedly he couldn’t understand why the sex was considered enjoyable too but he was eager to find out. Any fears about being caught just simply didn’t enter his mind. Everyone knew that humans were idiots. They were the only living creatures that knowingly destroyed themselves and their environments and didn’t think anything of it. In fact, Frank was of the opinion that perhaps humans simply hadn’t evolved enough yet. They had to be one of the dumbest creatures in the world, it was any wonder they hadn’t become extinct. 

Frank smirked to himself, looking at Jamia and chuckling as he touched her hand, squeezing gently when she still looked worried. 

“Jay... Honestly. Stop worrying.” He laughed, making the mermaid sigh as she nodded sadly. 

“I’ll try.” She promised, her home coming into view. “I’ll see you next week.” She sighed, turning to Frank to kiss his cheek before swimming quickly away from him, eager to just be alone with her thoughts for a while. Frank watched her go with a small shake of his head, frowning to himself. He felt like he probably should have been a little more sympathetic, but it was difficult when he just really couldn’t see what was making her so nervous. 

Deciding to put it out of mind for now Frank turned and swam along the bottom of the ocean towards his own home. The merpeople lived in a variety of habitats, and the community Frank was part of was one of the biggest. There must have been about fifty of them at least, and such large amounts of merpeople in one place was almost unheard of. As such they had formed an almost town like setting using bits of debris that humans allowed to drop into the sea.

Merpeople with the highest statuses lived in the sunken ships that had been here for centuries. Frank couldn’t deny that he somewhat coveted their luxurious homes, though he did love his cave. Most merpeople had built their homes using materials both natural and human from the ocean floor, but there was a small drop off point where many ‘common’ merpeople lived. The sharp drop was like a long cliff face leading down, down into the darkness. Many holes and caves marked the face of this sheer drop and Frank lived in one of these. It wasn’t considered a nice place to live, the minute you went down even just a little into that darkness the water would turn freezing, but Frank’s cave was near the top and relatively warm. Plus, he had some great neighbours.

“Frankie, hey!” Frank grinned as his friend Bob appeared, swimming from his own cave with his usual wide grin. “Just got back from class?” He asked brightly, Frank nodding with a grin. He forgot all about Jamia and her worries as his excitement returned tenfold and he moved closer to Bob, inviting him into his own cave to talk.

“Uhuh, we leave next week.” He beamed, Bob grinning at him as he swam with Frank into his cave, neither of them paying any attention to the darkness stretching down below them. Some caves were set further down, but not too much. No one actually knew how deep the crevice went, when they were children it used to be a game to try and see who could swim down the furthest but no one had ever reached the bottom. The water would grow too cold and all light would disappear until you couldn’t tell which way was up anymore... No one had ever dared to go any further than that. 

Frank led the way into his cave, hurrying to get some light shining. Though Frank didn’t live in one of the biggest caves his was still quite spacious. It stretched off into two main rooms which was really all he needed, and all the walls and ceiling were coated in a thin algae which allowed the photophores he had been cultivating to live and glow. Photophores were light emitting organisms that were found on most sea creatures. Merpeople had been able to grow these organisms themselves for centuries in order to harness light, but Frank believed he had the most in his cave. He just loved the soft blue glow, and he all he had to do when he got home was stroke the bits of algae covering them out of the way and his cave would be lit up for him.

“Did you want anything to eat or...?” Frank turned to smile at Bob over his shoulder as he drifted about, stroking the walls to reveal all the photophores. Bob smiled and shook his head, moving into one of the two main rooms and sitting down on the seaweed coated rock inside. He sighed and draped himself across it, the seaweed soft on his back.

“I’ve just eaten, thanks though.” He smiled, watching Frank with an amused smirk. Bobs cave was much darker in comparison to Franks and he thought the ridiculous amount of photophores the younger merman had were a little over the top. “Looking forward to being human for a night?” Bob asked conversationally, resting his arms behind his head and idly swishing the fins at the end of his tail about. 

“Definitely.” Frank grinned in response to his friend’s question, sitting down opposite him once he deemed his cave bright enough. “Jamia’s a little nervous though. She’s worried the humans will see us.” He sighed, idly picking at some seaweed as Bob rose his eyebrows in slight surprise. 

“The humans haven’t seen anyone for centuries.” He pointed out, Frank nodding.

“That’s what I said!” He chuckled, glad to hear that Bob agreed with him. “But you know what girls can be like. She’s really panicking I think. But I’m really excited, I can’t wait to go up there and see the human world for myself.” He grinned, his eyes bright at the thought of it all. Bob had already been to the surface. He was four years older than Frank and so had mated almost five years ago himself but he hadn’t really said much about it. 

“I wouldn’t expect to see too much.” He said now, laughing a little at Frank. “You’re only up there for a couple hours, and you have to keep out of sight as you know. Where are you two meant to change?” He asked, Frank telling him about their point beneath the pier and the older man nodded sagely. “That’s fair enough, you’ll be safe there. But you won’t exactly see a lot of the human’s world, but then that isn’t what you’re going for.” He reminded Frank gently making the younger man wrinkle his nose up.

“I guess...” He conceded, though deep down he’d love to have a chance to really explore the human world. Hearing about it was interesting enough, but Frank wanted to [/see/] it. He wanted to be able to walk around on legs and see what it felt like to be out of water like that. To do the strange things the humans did and see the things they had created. He had heard all about things like sky scrapers and cars but he wanted to see them for [/real/]. 

“Don’t you ever want to go back up there?” He asked curiously, Bob looking at him in surprise. 

“Where? To the land?” He asked, scoffing and shaking his head when Frank nodded. “Hell no! The humans are strange creatures, and their world is terrifying. I mean... You shouldn’t feel nervous or anything,” he quickly covered, not wanting to frighten Frank; “But I wouldn’t have wanted to stray from the beach at all when I went there. I could hear noise in the distance, I’m not sure of what. But it was loud and alien and I wouldn’t have wanted to see what caused it.” Bob sighed and frowned at the memory. He was a large merman, with bulging muscles and an intimidating posture, but even he had been like a frightened maiden when he had gone to the land. “Their world is so... different to ours.”

“But isn’t that what makes it so exciting?” Frank pushed, a little disappointed to hear his friend was so against the human world. He had always wondered why Bob didn’t talk about it more. Frank knew that once he had seen it he would want to talk about it all the time, but Bob always kept quiet about it. In fact, this was probably the most Frank had ever heard him say about it. 

“It is a little exciting I guess.” Bob shrugged, not wanting to put Frank off going. He tried not to discuss his experience of going to the human world – most merpeople who had been there liked to keep quiet about it. It was an intimidating, mysterious place, and it was important they didn’t frighten the younger merfolk about going. Mating on the land was crucial to the merpeople’s continuing survival and so it was also important that no one became so frightened by the prospect of going to the surface that they then ended up not going at all. “Personally though I wouldn’t want to go again. I mean... It’s just too weird.”

“Ah Bob, you’re so boring.” Frank scoffed, laughing to show he was only being playful as he got up from his rock and swam up towards the ceiling to stroke some more algae away from the photophores. “I can’t wait to go up there and see what it’s like... I’m an explorer at heart. I can feel it in my scales.” Frank sighed, gazing wistfully upwards, as if he would be able to see right through the rock and the water and to the human world above. “I wish we had longer to be up there...”

“Hmm...” Bob frowned, trying to remember if he had ever felt that way before he went. He was sure he hadn’t, but then it had been a long time ago. “Well... Just see how you feel when you get up there.” He eventually said, Frank rolling his eyes though he smiled as he sank back down onto his rock.

“I guess...” He agreed, looking down at his tail curled beneath him and trying to imagine legs there. “Does the metamorphosis hurt?” He asked curiously, stroking a fingertip over the black scales of his tale, Bob smiling as he shook his head.

“Not at all.” He said genuinely, pleased he could at least assure Frank of that. “It just tingles a little is all.” He shrugged, looking down at his own sapphire blue tail and remembering the day he had grown legs. “But... Nothing can prepare you for how strange it is to see your tail disappear like that... I couldn’t wait to get mine back.” He laughed, Frank smirking over at him.

“I know it’s going to feel weird, but I kind of can’t wait.” He admitted quietly, never liking to tell anyone that since people always jumped to assumptions and thought he meant he wished he was human. He didn’t... Humans were stupid and clumsy and killed most living things; but he still felt excited at the prospect of having their body for a day. “I mean... It’ll be nice to turn back and everything but... I dunno. Isn’t it amazing that we can just change our form like this?”

“It is amazing.” Bob nodded, smiling warmly at the younger man and wondering again how full of life Frank was. So full of curiosity and excitement. “But even we have limitations. You know you can’t just turn back and forth at will.” He reminded Frank softly, the younger man nodding with a ‘duh’ expression.

“Yeah I know.” He sighed, smiling as he fluttered his caudal fin, a deep red colour in contrast to the main black of his tail. “I wouldn’t wanna be human forever, don’t worry. I’m not getting any bright ideas.” He smirked at Bob, the blonde man chuckling and nodding.

“Good. You wouldn’t want to be up there forever Frankie. Trust me on that.”

xXx

Jamia held tight to Frank’s arm, gazing above them both with wide, nervous eyes. The couple due to leave before them had gone and soon enough it would be there turn to swim up and head to the surface. Frank was looking excited, but Jamia felt ready to be sick.

The merfolk ready to go to the surface to mate had all been brought to the drop off point – a sandbank some distance from the town. Here they were much closer to the human shore and it would only be a short swim before the harbour would come into sight. Each couple had different points to head for, and there was a ten minute gap between one couple setting off before the next would leave. 

“Now then, Frank, Jamia. Are you ready?” Marigold was the organiser for that years mating season and she smiled comfortingly at Jamia when she turned to face her with a greenish tinge around the gills on her neck. 

“I don’t think I can do this.” She whispered quietly, ashamed to admit it. Marigold only smiled comfortingly at her, swishing her bright golden tail and shaking her head fondly. 

“Nonsense, of course you can. There’s no need to be nervous, Frank will be with you the whole time.” She assured the frightened mermaid kindly, Frank nodding his agreement and gently touching Jamia’s hand with his own. He offered her a gentle smile and squeezed her fingers delicately, hoping to calm her down. 

“Everything’s gonna be fine Jay. We’ll be back before you know it.” He promised her, Marigold nodding and smiling warmly at Frank; pleased to see that he was being comforting to his mating partner. Although liking each other wasn’t necessary for the mating ritual, it did help.

“Exactly. Now get ready to leave, it’s almost time.” Marigold beamed, Frank grinning and lacing his fingers with Jamia’s as he felt the first flutter of nerves inside him. Knowing that any second now they’d be leaving made him feel some of his excitement turn to fear, but he pushed it aside easily. A small crowd was gathered to watch each couple leave, and Frank glanced over his shoulder to wave goodbye to Bob who flashed him a grin and thumbs up in response. 

“Alright, go!” Marigold suddenly called, Jamia jumping in horror and hesitating to move; but Frank was eager as ever and he gasped and automatically launched himself upwards. Since he was still holding onto Jamia’s hand the girl was dragged alongside him and she gave a little squeak of horror as they swam rapidly upwards towards the surface.

“F – Frankie!” Jamia gasped, not sure what she wanted to say, just feeling terrified but Frank only squeezed her hand, never taking his eyes off the approaching light above them.

“It’s okay Jamia. Don’t worry.” He beamed, working his tail as quickly as he could to speed to the surface. They had to act quickly, but he was a little over eager. Jamia simply clung to his hand and let him drag her along, her face the picture of terror as the water above them grew lighter and lighter and then all of a sudden -

“Agh!” Jamia gasped and almost screamed when they broke the surface, their speed causing them to fly out of the water so that even the tops of their arms were exposed before they dropped back down to bob in the water. The wind that whipped against their wet faces was colder than anything Jamia had ever felt before and the sensation of not having water around her face was alien and intimidating. She turned to look at Frank and felt a little relief that he at least looked as stunned as her. 

“F – Frankie...” She whimpered, her teeth chattering as she swam closer to the male and let him pull her against his chest. “I d – don’t like it.”

“It’s okay... We just need to... To get used to it.” Frank said uncertainly, hugging Jamia close and looking around with curious eyes. So far there was no sign of the harbour they were heading to, just water all around. But Frank knew which direction they were supposed to head in. 

For a moment he just focused on getting his bearings and grow accustomed to the strange sensation of being out of water. The gills on his neck felt dry and itchy when he lifted his head up far enough to get them out of the water, so he kept himself as low as possible to keep them wet. The sky above him was like nothing he had ever imagined; though he knew vaguely what the sky looked like this churning mass of black and grey was not what he had been expecting. The water felt colder here somehow, the waves that couldn’t be felt under the water causing the couple to get lifted up and down in a rhythm that soon had them feeling sick. Everything suddenly felt ominous, and Frank found his fear start to grow.

“We... We should get moving.” He said uncertainly, Jamia nodding though she continued to cling to him as she gazed around. Something about the whole thing just didn’t feel right to her, but she didn’t dare ask Frank to go back down. If everyone else had managed to carry on then they could.

Frank turned in the direction he knew the harbour to be in and after just another seconds hesitation he began to swim. Jamia moved to swim beside him, though they kept their hands interlinked as they headed towards the human town. They didn’t know what to expect anymore, and suddenly it felt like all the lessons they had been given could never be enough to prepare them, but they swam on and said nothing.

As they swam Frank began to grow more conscious of how cold it was. The air felt strangely thick and tense, like something was waiting to happen. When the first spots of rain fell both he and Jamia flailed in surprise, splashing water everywhere as they panicked and flicked their tails. It took them both a long moment to realise what was pattering against them; they had been told about rain very briefly, but neither had ever felt it before.

“Water from the sky...” Jamia whispered in amazement, gazing up at the black clouds and squinting against the water that splashed into her eyes. It felt so different to swimming beneath the waves and she wasn’t sure she liked it. Water wasn’t supposed to come from the sky... 

“It’s just rain... it’s fine.” Frank muttered, though it was making him feel uneasy too. He wasn’t used to water falling like that and he hurried to move his tail and swim faster in the direction of the harbour. He knew it was close, but it still felt like it was taking them forever to get there and he couldn’t help but wonder if they were heading in the wrong direction.

“Frank it’s getting worse.” Jamia whimpered, the wind now howling loudly around them and making them shiver violently. But ahead of them, nothing more than a rain smudged silhouette, was the harbour. Frank would not give up.

“I – Its okay, look how we close we a – are.” He responded through chattering teeth. Jamia nodded but her heart was racing with fear, the rain getting heavier and the wind louder. The closer they got to the harbour the bigger the waves seemed to be. She wasn’t sure if it was because the storm was getting worse or if it was just because they were close to land, but she was feeling increasingly at risk and didn’t dare let go of Frank’s hand in case it separated them.

“Frankie! We should turn back!” She shouted over the screaming of the wind, her wet hair sticking to her cheeks. It looked lank and almost dead out of the water. Frank had never seen her hair without it floating gracefully in the water and he wasn’t sure he liked it anymore.

“We can’t Jay! We need to do this!” He shouted back, his eyes pleading as he blinked through the rain. He was cold and frightened too, but he knew they needed to get to land. 

“Then we should at least go beneath the surface, the storm won’t get us there!” Jamia pointed out, clinging to Frank as the wind buffeted at them and the waves threw them about. “Please Frankie!”

“I...” Frank hesitated, wanting to be able to see how close they were to the town but he could see Jamia’s reasoning. “Alright. Alright.” He nodded, flicking his wet fringe out of his eyes before diving beneath the surface with Jamia again, causing the mermaid to sigh with relief. 

As the couple swam down they were alarmed to see just how shallow the water was. Although the ocean floor was still some forty feet below them it was nothing compared to how deep they were used to it being and they could see for the first time the many things they had been warned about. 

“Oh my – fishing nets.” Jamia hissed, pressing to Frank’s side and pointing out the nets resting against the ocean floor and rising upwards like a wall of cross hatched rope. Frank scowled and laid an arm protectively round Jamia. There were a few things stuck in the nets, but nothing living as far as Frank could tell. He turned his head away and squeezed Jamia’s shoulder, murmuring at her not to look as they swam onward, navigating their way through what quickly became a maze of nets and anchors. 

“Human’s are vile...” Jamia whispered as she clung to Frank, looking around with wide eyes. Although the water was getting shallower and shallower the more they swam it somehow felt darker and colder here than even the precipice Frank lived over. There was no life here, the water was filthy and polluted. It was the human’s play ground now. “I want to go home...”

“We’re almost at the pier now.” Frank said uncertainly, the shallow water picking up the winds from the storm and causing them to get thrown about slightly in the current again. The ropes of the nets and buoys were moving about erratically and Frank held Jamia’s hand tighter to keep her close. “We’ll be going home soon.” He promised, starting to want to just turn back himself.

Jamia sighed and nodded, not too happy to not be going home right that instant but she didn’t say anything. She could feel the effects of the storm again, but all she could see when she looked up was the dark shapes of the boats getting thrown about on the water. She didn’t know where the pier was, or even if it was close. 

“Are you sure we’re going the right way?” She asked uncertainly making Frank bite his lip and shake his head.

“I... Not really.” He confessed, looking about and shuddering. “I’ll go back up and see if I see anything.” He decided, releasing Jamia’s hand to swim back to the surface which wasn’t all that far away now. Jamia gasped and shook her head, quickly hurrying to join Frank.

“Don’t leave me!” She begged, hurrying to join him but they broke the surface before she could take hold of his hand again.

The force of the storm was immediate. All around them boats were bucking and pivoting in the water from the force and height of the waves. They were all anchored to the sea floor and the town was so close that they could make out the outline of houses and the harbour wall; but the waves obscured that view every few seconds. The sky was now pitch black and flashes of lightning lit up the horizon in the distance, sending fear crashing through Jamia as she was thrown about by the waves.

“Frank!” She screamed, turning to grab at him but already he had been thrown metres away from her and the distance was growing as the waves pulled them apart. “Frankie! Frank help!” Jamia cried, stretching her arms out for him and kicking her tail as fast as she could to try and swim to him. 

“Jay!” Frank called back, his face less scared and more determined as he stretched towards her and worked his own tail. Water splashed around him as his caudal fins, larger than Jamia’s, slapped against the water. But despite his stronger muscles and clear power the storm was too much for them and soon it was a battle just to keep their heads above the water.

“Jamia! Shit.” Frank cursed, diving back beneath the water once he was able to get out of the grip of a wave lifting him. He plunged down as fast as he could, feeling safe at the bottom again although the currents here were so strong he could feel them dragging him back towards the harbour wall. Worst though, was that there was no sign of Jamia. 

“Jay? Jamia!?” Frank shouted, his eyes wide with panic. How could she have disappeared so soon. “JAMIA!” He roared, using every ounce of strength he had in his arms and tail to swim deeper against the current. The water here was dark but he could see quite some way, but all around was nothing but the waving nets and anchor lines. “JAMIA!” He roared again, wondering if she had got caught in a rope and fear gripped him. She could be killed if she became tangled. 

“Oh shit... Shit, shit shit – JAMIA!” Frank began to panic, fighting the current but he was unable to get far. Growling he gave up and turned to swim upwards again, hoping to be able to see her if he returned to the surface. 

“JAMIA!” He shouted as he burst above the water again. The waves were still incredibly huge and Frank groaned as he struggled to ride over them without getting sucked under and look for Jamia. There was no sign of her anywhere and though he screamed and shouted as loud as he could the wind just snatched the sound away from him.

“JAMIA! JAY! Oh God... Please...” He groaned, starting to feel exhausted and weak. He was spinning and bucking in the water and he was beginning to lose his bearings. Water was getting sprayed into his eyes and his gills were stinging. He knew he should just go below the water again but the current beneath frightened him just as much as the waves above. 

“Jamia... Jamia...” He moaned, squeezing his eyes shut and just flipping his tail as he swam in any direction he could. He wasn’t sure if the storm was getting worse or if it just felt that way because he was so weak. He felt another wave lift him and he forced his eyes to open, gasping in shock when he saw he was higher than ever and the town looked like it was falling to meet him. 

“No!” Frank choked, falling beneath the wave and spinning in somersaults that left him dizzy and sick before he suddenly felt the harshness of rock against his body. Instinctively he squeezed his eyes shut again, tensing his body and bracing himself as he collided hard against the harbour wall with an ‘mmph’. 

The wave that had lifted Frank and carried him onto the harbour drew back, leaving a spray of water behind. At first Frank was confused and disorientated, his head splitting with pain. The water around it felt strangely warm and he groaned as his head swam. For a moment he couldn’t understand what he was lying on and he stretched his arms out with a pained grunt. 

“J – Jamia...” He whispered, managing to crack his eyes open and whimpering when something hot and wet dripped into them. Unlike with water he couldn’t see through this and he began to panic again as he weakly wiped at his eyes, but then a second wave hit him and he went scraping across the ground, further inland.

Frank wasn’t aware of it but he was by now resting on the shore of the harbour, and the second wave pushed him back beneath a bench resting on the sidewalk facing out to the sea. No humans were around due to the ferocity of the storm, but now safely beneath the bench Frank was left on dry ground where the waves could no longer reach him with any impact. 

Frank moaned in pain and slumped against the ground, oblivious to his surroundings and not even sure what had happened anymore as he gave up trying to see and just allowed unconsciousness to take over him, Jamia’s name the last thing on his lips.


	2. Chapter two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The merman meets the artist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick note in regards to the recent split. I know some people have been concerned people are going to stop writing fanfiction now, whilst I can't speak for everyone obviously I just want to make it clear I don't intend to stop writing so this story will continue to be written, and I sincerely hope people will continue to read it.  
> Much love xo

When Frank awoke the first thing he noticed was that he wasn’t in the sea. In fact, he wasn’t wet at all. He had never felt so... dry. In fact, he hadn’t even ever been sure what dry felt like, but now he could feel it. And it was horrible.

“Ugh...” Frank groaned and rolled his head to the side, his eyes refusing to open. He felt sick, and the more aware of himself he became the more he realised his head was hurting an incredible amount. He felt as though there was an agonised throbbing in the back of his skull, and something pressing against his forehead but when he tried to raise his hand he felt as though his limbs were lead. 

“J – Jamia...”

“Are you waking up?” 

Frank stirred at the voice, his eyelids fluttering as he tried to place it. It was male but he didn’t recognise it. His heart began to race as he struggled to wake up properly and open his eyes, his body feeling strange to him. Something was just certainly not right. 

“J – Jay...” He slurred, his voice sounding strange even to his own ears. He felt sick and drowsy, and his words were almost intelligible. 

“Shh...” The male voice cooed softly, and Frank felt a presence beside him. Something warm and inviting, it didn’t feel like water. Even in his half conscious state he could tell he wasn’t in the sea anymore, but that just served to make his body even more reluctant to wake up. He didn’t want to open his eyes and see what trouble he had gotten himself into.

A soft, warm hand finally touched Frank’s forehead, brushing his hair back off his face and then skating down to trace a thumb along his cheekbone. Frank stirred a little more, parting his lips and sighing as he automatically turned his head to nuzzle against the hand. It felt nice against his cheek; he hadn’t felt such warmth before. Merpeople didn’t get warm like humans did, not that he was aware that he was being touched by a human.

“Mm... Who... Who’sat?” Frank finally managed to ask, his voice still horribly slurred but he could at least understand himself now even if the other person couldn’t. His eyelids fluttered as he forced himself to open them, managing to get them open just a crack at first but then slowly lift them higher. 

For a moment Frank was blinded by the light, able to see nothing but white. He winced and squinted, groaning in pain as his head ached fiercely; but eventually the white began to glow and then it grew less bright, dimming down until he was just staring blankly at the ceiling above him.

“My name is Gerard.” The male voice responded, the hand on Frank’s cheek disappearing and then a face came into his view. Frank’s eyes widened slightly, his heart starting to race even more as his eyes focused to look at the man leaning over him. “How are you feeling? What’s your name? You were uh... naked when I found you so you didn’t have any ID on you or anything.”

Frank blinked slowly and just stared at the man, Gerard, as if he was crazy. Though his face was built the same as any merperson’s Frank could tell he was no merman. For one thing they were very obviously not in water; Frank still didn’t know what the white thing above him was. It couldn’t be the sky... But as well as that the man’s hair was just hanging forward, brushing against his cheeks like it wouldn’t do in water. And he didn’t even have gills on his neck. 

“I...” Frank swallowed thickly, his throat dry and burning. He realised with a jolt in his stomach that this man must be a human and he felt panic overcome him. “I need to go.” He gasped, sitting up suddenly as if he had been electrocuted only to immediately pause and groan when his head span.

“Hey! Be careful.” Gerard gasped, quickly pushing Frank to lie on his back again. “You need to rest; you’ve hurt your head really bad. I was gonna take you to the hospital but I... I figured since you had no ID or anything I should try and take care of you first. I’m pretty good at first aid and stuff and I dunno, if I told them you were naked on the harbour they’d probably arrest you for indecency or something and I didn’t want to get you into trouble or anything.” Frank frowned and blinked stupidly at the man, getting the feeling he was rambling but he just didn’t have the strength to find his voice and tell him to stop talking. 

Gerard was pacing by now, wringing his hands together and letting Frank get a better view of him now he wasn’t leaning right over him. He was still rambling about something to do with taking a first aid course at his school but Frank was too busy staring at his legs to pay any attention. He had never seen human legs in real life before and he was mesmerized. They were so... strange. They weren’t graceful at all, they looked heavy and clunky and the way they moved was extraordinary. Frank had never seen anything move like it.

“-So yeah, you shouldn’t have a concussion or anything but you should probably keep the bandage on for a couple days.” Frank shook his head to try and clear it and focus on Gerard’s words. He forced an uneasy smile, nodding and pretending to know what he was talking about though he had never heard the word concussion before and he wasn’t entirely sure what a bandage was.

“Oh uh... Okay.” He nodded, just staring at Gerard with wide eyes still. Now he was done staring at his legs he was busy drinking in the rest of him, staring in intrigue at the shape of his body and the way his clothes fit him. Frank knew what clothes were of course, they had been taught about them in their classes, but it was another thing he had only heard descriptions of. He found he quite liked them though now he was seeing them, the shirt especially. He liked how it was open at the top and exposed just a little of Gerard’s chest. There was something strangely exotic about it, more seductive than seeing merman with their chests constantly on show.

“Um... Are you okay?” Gerard asked slowly, quirking an eyebrow at Frank as he stared at him. “Maybe you should stay here for a while. Do you need me to call anyone for you?” He asked gently, walking closer to the bed again but hesitating when Frank immediately shied away from him. “I’m not gonna hurt you.” Gerard quickly assured him, holding his hands up in a sign of peace. There was something strange about the man in his bed, but he wanted to help him.

“I just... I...” Frank swallowed thickly, his voice coming out hoarse and unnatural sounding. He couldn’t think straight he was so thirsty and he looked at Gerard with imploring eyes. “I need water.”

“Oh! God, sorry, of course you do.” Gerard gasped, blushing and quickly hurrying across the room. Frank watched him somewhat dazed, realising for the first time that there was a window and a door and that they were in some sort of building. He didn’t quite know what to make of it, wondering if this was where the man lived. “I’ll be right back.” Gerard assured him before disappearing through the door, to where Frank didn’t know.

Once the human had gone Frank forced himself to sit up again, moving slower this time so as not to cause a second head rush. He managed to weakly push himself into a sitting position, resting his back against the wall behind him and his hands in his lap. He was still so drained and his head was pounding, making it difficult to think properly and assess the situation.

First, he realised, if he wasn’t in water and the human wasn’t freaking out about his body then he must no longer have his tail. The thought made Frank feel sick but when he glanced down he knew instantly that he was right, even if he had a blanket covering his legs. He was sat in some kind of bed, but it was all so different to back home or how he had imagined this place. The classes that taught them about humans had been basic, giving them just the knowledge they would need most since no one had ever been unfortunate enough to actually try to interact with one... And now Frank was way beyond that, he was sat in one of their houses and could see no way out yet. He was going to have to do much more than basic interaction. He was going to have to appear... _normal_.

Frank took a deep breath to try and steady his nerves, ignoring his dry mouth and throat for now and just concentrating on relaxing as he took hold of the blanket and shakily pushed it aside. When he uncovered his legs he gasped and quickly threw the blanket back over them, squeezing his eyes shut and counting to ten to calm back down. 

Of course the whole point of him ever coming onto land was to get legs and reproduce so he shouldn’t have been so astounded. But to have his tail one moment and then wake up with these... _things_ having not actually witnessed the transformation was just too much for him to take in. He didn’t even want to know what the genitals looked like; for now they were blissfully covered in a pair of black shorts he assumed the human must have given him.

Frank couldn’t find it in him to look at his legs again before Gerard returned, holding a glass of water and smiling gently at him. He had a timid air about him, as if he was frightened of Frank but Frank soon realised he was actually just anxious in case he scared him.

“Here you go.” Gerard said gently, passing the glass to Frank. “I’m sorry, I didn’t even think about how you’d be thirsty.” He chuckled apologetically, Frank forcing a smile and deciding not to mention he had been requesting water as in a large body of it so that he could submerge himself. But he supposed he ought to try drinking... it was something merpeople didn’t do but Frank knew all about humans and their different forms of sustenance. He was sure he could figure drinking out, and it wasnt like he could just go swimming and reveal his tail anyway.

“Thanks.” He finally sighed, raising the glass to his lips and slowly tilting it up. The first sip turned out to be a struggle and Frank ended up choking and spluttering as it tickled his throat. Gerard jumped into action and dashed over to thump Frank’s back for him, only serving to make Frank choke more as he panicked. He didn’t know why he was being hit but he assumed it must be some sort of human tradition and when he finally managed to stop coughing long enough to suck in a much needed breath Gerard’s thumping turned into a soothing rub.

“Wrong hole huh?” He asked with a soft chuckle, Frank nodding though he didn’t know what that meant. He was glad to take any excuse for his choking though so he didn’t have to reveal he had never drank anything before. “Drink some more, it’ll make you feel better.” Gerard assured him, Frank seriously doubting that though he didn’t dare disagree.

Hesitating, Frank tipped the glass up again and let the water pour down his throat. This time he was prepared for it and he soon found himself gulping down the entire contents of the glass without any trouble. Once it began to wash down his dry throat his eyes had closed in pleasure and he could swear he had never felt anything more blissful. The aching and the burning were immediately soothed, disappearing as if it had never even been there and Frank put down the empty glass with a satisfied intake of air.

“Better?” Gerard smiled, biting his lip when Frank nodded and thanked him again quietly. Now that he had drank something he sounded more like his old self and Gerard smiled as he dared to sit down on the edge of the bed. “So uh... What’s your name?” He asked softly, still knowing nothing about Frank.

“Hm? Oh my name?” Frank didn’t know why he was so surprised to hear the question, after all he knew Gerard’s. But something felt wrong about giving out his name, as if it was forbidden.

“Yeah... I... Like I said, you had no ID or anything...” Gerard trailed off, wondering if he had done something wrong. “I mean you don’t have to tell me just... I’d like to be able to call you something.” He chuckled, frowning slightly and just finding this man incredibly strange. Frank just stared back at him as if he was uncertain for a long moment, before finally sighing and relenting.

“My name is Frank.” He said quietly, glancing about the room before meeting Gerard’s gaze again. “How did I get here?” He asked quietly, just feeling confused and disorientated still. In the back of his mind he kept thinking about Jamia and wondering if she was in this place too somewhere. “My friend... Jamia... Is she here?”

“Jamia?” Gerard repeated, his brows knitting together in confusion. “No I’m sorry, I don’t know who that is. Do you know her number? I could give her a call for you? Or anyone for that matter.” He quickly offered, eager to move Frank on back to wherever he lived. Gerard wasn’t the most social person at the best of time, but he was especially social-phobic when it came to strangers. But he had simply not known what else to do when he found Frank on the harbour. 

“Her... Number?” Frank blushed, not sure what Gerard meant but he already knew there was no way Gerard would be able to find her if he hadn’t seen her already. “No I uh, I don’t have anyone’s number.”

“Oh...” Gerard frowned, biting his lip and trying to think of ways to be helpful. “Well do you live near here? I could give you a ride home.” He offered but Frank’s face was less than inspiring. 

“I don’t live here.” He responded flatly, Gerard raising his eyebrows at him. “I live... Um... Somewhere else.” Frank blushed and turned his face away, not wanting to reveal too much. He didn’t know what to say or do, he was just in this man’s house and he now needed to think of a way to leave without coming across as strange. “So how did you get me here anyway?” He quickly asked, trying to change the subject. 

“Oh. I found you on the harbour.” Gerard quickly explained, letting Frank change the subject easily since he felt the guy probably deserved to know what had happened anyway. He looked pretty confused. “I was up early this morning and went to take a walk down the seafront. It was only about five am so no one was around yet. I struggle to sleep sometimes ya see.” Gerard explained, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.

“There was a storm all night – well I guess you know that. But it had stopped by then and I wanted see what damage it had done to the harbour and stuff. I’m like... I’m kinda like an artist so I wondered if it would give me inspiration.” Gerard blushed at the admission, always finding it strange to admit his profession. He felt like it made him sound arrogant or pompous when in fact he spent most days eating gone off food for lack of money, and staring at black canvases for lack of ideas. 

“Anyway, I was just walking down the harbour and I saw you under a bench. You were in a pretty bad way, you had blood all around your head and you were naked, I thought for a second you were dead.” Gerard blushed slightly, looking at Frank with concerned hazel eyes. “But when I checked your pulse and stuff and found you were okay I picked you up and carried you back to my car. Like I said before, I was going to take you to hospital but when I realised the cut on your head wasn’t too bad I decided to take care of you myself in case you got into trouble or something... What were you doing out there? Were you drunk last night?” Gerard had been trying all morning to come up with an explanation to Frank’s presence beneath the bench and could come up with only one answer – alcohol.

“Drunk?” Frank repeated, shaking his head slowly, looking slightly dazed. “No I wasn’t drunk.” He sighed, knowing the word well. Sailors were well known to be drunk often, but Frank had never even drank anything until the glass of water Gerard had given him, let alone alcohol. 

“Then what happened?” Gerard asked gently, looking nervously at the younger man. He began to wonder if he had been attacked or something, whether he had put himself in danger by bringing him into his apartment. He knew that New Jersey had some mob activity but he had never imagined he’d get involved in any of it.

“I was caught in the storm.” Frank sighed as if that explained everything and just confusing Gerard further. “I was carried by a wave and I guess it threw me beneath the bench. I must have banged my head on the ground.” He sighed, trying to remember the night before but his most vivid memory was just of when he had been desperately searching for Jamia. “My friend was with me, I need to go and find her.”

“Hey.” Gerard sighed, holding his hand up to stop Frank from trying to get out of bed. “What were you doing in the water anyway? That storm was crazy last night, and you’re not allowed to swim in the harbour.” He frowned, not wanting to lecture Frank on it; it wasn’t like he was the coastguard or something but he just found it hard to believe anyone would be foolish enough to swim in the harbour during a storm. 

“We were just...” Frank bit his lip, not sure how to explain it. “We didn’t realise that there was going to be a storm. It came on us suddenly.” He muttered, Gerard sighing as he looked at him. 

“Well... Either way you shouldn’t have been swimming there. But I guess there’s nothing we can do about it now.” He said gently, it obvious Frank was worried about his friend and didn’t really want to talk about what they had been doing. Gerard supposed it was probably for the best too, if they had been swimming naked. 

“Listen, if your friend was found in any state similar to yours then it’d probably be on the news and I haven’t seen anything. But I can call all the local hospitals and police stations to see if they’ve got her if you want.” He offered, Frank looking alarmed at that and immediately shaking his head. 

The classes they had took had explained about the emergency services and what they could do if they needed their help. They had all been warned to try not to approach them though. They would ask lots of questions that they simply wouldnt have the answers to, and if they had to see a doctor and blood was taken they jeopardised the whole race. They didn’t know if their blood was different to a humans, but they didn’t want to find out by causing a sensation. Frank knew that the best thing he could do was just return to the sea as quickly as possible and get a search party together there. The merpeople who had all been on land before could then come and search for Jamia, assuming she hadn’t already made it back home.

“No no, it’s fine.” Frank quickly assured Gerard, blushing slightly. “I’m sure she’s fine.” He lied, Gerard looking unconvinced though he didn’t push it. 

“Well... Okay.” He said slowly, not knowing what to do now. Frank didn’t want help finding his friend, he didn’t want to reveal where he lived and he didn’t know a way of contacting anyone he knew. Gerard got the feeling Frank wasn’t everything he was letting him believe. He got the distinct impression that he actually didn’t know where he was or where he was from or even know anyone who could help him. Perhaps he was an orphan.

“So um... Who are your parents?” Gerard asked, Frank shrugging on instinct, staring down at the duvet where he was picking at a thread.

“I don’t know.” He said simply, confirming Gerard’s fears though Frank didn’t know it himself. He didn’t elaborate, knowing that humans were raised by the two people who conceived them, and that if he mentioned that where he was from babies were raised by the community as a whole then it would just lead to more questions. 

“Look,” Frank sighed, looking up to meet Gerard’s gaze again. “Thanks for helping me. I really appreciate it but I should get going now.” He said softly, Gerard looking somewhat alarmed at that. 

“Well... I can’t stop you but... I don’t know. I think you need to rest a little more.” He said anxiously. He was sure Frank didn’t have concussion but knowing he had no one to keep an eye on him made him feel responsible for it. “If you have nowhere to stay you should just stay here a couple days, I really don’t mind.”

“Oh no, I couldn’t do that.” Frank said instantly, knowing he just needed to get into the sea again but at the same time feeling touched at the offer. He had always heard about how destructive humans were; how they were cruel, stupid creatures that ruined their world and the sea. He had never imagined one would save his life and then try so hard to help him. It just made him even more curious about them and he sort of wished he could stay and learn more. 

“I honestly wouldn’t mind.” Gerard promised Frank again, blushing slightly. He didn’t know why he was so eager for the younger man to agree to stay. He was worried about him but he got the feeling that wasn’t all of it... He was just intrigued by him. Nothing interesting ever happened to Gerard and he was finding it strangely easy to relax with Frank in his home and he wanted to get to know about him. “I wouldn’t feel comfortable knowing you’re out there all on your own when you’re hurt.” He added gently but Frank shook his head.

“Don’t worry about me, I feel fine.” He promised, pushing the covers back to move out of bed but hesitating when he saw his legs again. They really were remarkable... Frank had thought them ugly for a while, but now he looked at them again he just found them... odd. “I just... Need to um...” Frank slowly slid forward, letting his feet touch the carpet and biting his lip at the sensation of the soft fabric against the soles of his feet. 

“Need to just...?” Gerard trailed off, watching Frank closely and curiously. He really was strange, Gerard couldn’t work him out. He watched quietly as Frank ever so slowly pushed himself to his feet and took a shaky step forward, immediately falling into a heap on the floor.

“Frank! Oh God are you okay?” Gerard gasped, springing to his feet and quickly helping Frank get up. “You must have hit your head harder than I thought, or do your legs hurt? Can you walk?” Gerard asked anxiously, practically lifting Frank up as the younger man clutched his arms and used him as a crutch to get to his feet again. His legs were wobbling like a baby trying to walk for the first time and he blushed as he gripped Gerard’s arms tight.

“I – I’m sorry, I just... Uh, I just need a minute.” Frank coughed, embarrassed to be making a fool of himself. He hadn’t expected walking to be difficult, Gerard made it look so easy. 

“I think you really just need to rest.” Gerard said gently, moving Frank easily back to the bed whilst he was so unsteady on his feet. He lay him back down amongst the pillows and pulled the covers over him, sighing as he looked at him. “Look, this is my spare room okay. You won’t be in my way, I have my own bed I can sleep in, and you’re obviously not in a good way. Please just stay and get your strength back, even if you leave tomorrow I’d just feel much better if you stayed tonight.” He sighed, Frank groaning and shaking his head. 

“I can’t. I need to go I –”

“Frank [/please/].” Gerard sighed, looking at Frank with open, concerned eyes and Frank just found himself entranced by them. He knew he needed to leave, he had to find Jamia and get back into the sea and yet... He supposed Gerard had a point. He couldn’t even walk, he wasn’t going to get very far if he had to drag himself by the hands like a fish out of water. 

“I... Alright.” He whispered, his heart missing a beat but Gerard’s warm smile made him feel a little better. “But just tonight.” Frank warned, the artist nodding. 

“I can live with that.” He smiled, squeezing Frank’s shoulder in a friendly gesture. “Now then, I haven’t eaten yet today and I’m pretty hungry. I’ll make us some breakfast, you just stay here and rest okay?” He smiled, Frank nodding with still pink cheeks and just not knowing what to say as Gerard smiled and turned, leaving the room once more.

Once he was left alone Frank hesitated for a few seconds before he threw the covers back and looked curiously at his legs. Since he couldn’t walk on them yet he wanted to at least look at them and try and figure out how they worked. 

They were a little different to how he had imagined them. He had known they would look like this, but he hadn’t thought of the little details. Like how he could see tendons at the back of his knee and on his foot when he flexed different muscles. He hadn’t known he would be able to wiggle his toes like he could, and he had had no idea that legs had hair. He stroked his hand down his calf, feeling the soft, short hairs and tugging at a few. He gasped at the pain, finding them to be more sensitive than the hairs on his head and he winced as he rubbed the pain away. It was strange not having his tail anymore, and he did miss it already, but at the same time having legs felt almost natural.

Frank moved his hands over his knees and for a moment he just stared at them resting on the joints. He began to frown as he wondered how it was merpeople had come to exist. Legs and arms just seemed to go together, hands and feet looked almost similar... But his tail looked like it belonged on a fish, and his torso to a man. He had never questioned it before, but now he couldn’t help but wonder how strange it seemed. No wonder humans had always been alarmed whenever they had seen merpeople back in the old days.

Frank sighed and moved his hands away, using them to push his body so that his legs dangled over the edge of the bed and his feet touched the floor again. He didn’t try to stand up straight away, but just took a moment to figure out how his knees and ankles worked, twisting his feet about and brushing them across the carpet. He found he quite like the texture of it on his soles and he smiled as he wiggled his toes and buried them in the plush fabric. He didn’t know how Gerard would take to make breakfast and he so he moved on quickly.

Frank lifted one leg up high, bending the knee and then straightening it again before doing the same to his other leg. He flexed the muscles and tried to locate each one and figure out what he could do before he planted his feet on the floor and slowly rose up. He touched the bed post to support himself as he got up, managing to stand easily enough but he wasn’t sure how easy walking would be.

At first Frank simply bent his knees and performed squats whilst holding onto the bedpost. He was wobbly at first, but the more he did them the stronger he felt. When he stopped he was out of breath, but he felt like he could use his legs more at least. He continued to grip the bedpost for support as he took a small step forward, testing the way it felt. Another step soon followed, shaky and uncertain but he didn’t fall.

Frank glanced at the bedpost he was holding onto, seeing that if he took another step he wouldn’t be able to reach it anymore and so he slowly removed his hand from it as he was standing upright. He faced forward again, taking a deep breath and taking another, larger a step forward.

Frank felt shaky and unbalanced on his feet, but he managed to walk unsteadily forward. He grinned and picked up his pace, finding it much easier as he got into his stride. Soon enough he was walking round the room in circles, learning how to use his legs and finding he quite enjoyed walking. It certainly felt like more effort than swimming in some respects, and yet the novelty of it made him enjoy himself. 

“What are you doing?” Frank gasped and jumped, turning to find Gerard watching him from the doorway. He was holding two plates of pancakes and he quirked an eyebrow at Frank. “You should be resting.” He said gently, Frank blushing fiercely as he tried to come up with a good excuse for being out of bed and wandering around the room. 

“I uh, I was just. I was... Toilet.” He finally gasped, Gerard raising his eyebrows at him. “I uh, I need the toilet.” Frank blushed, hoping he had got that right. He had been told his human body would expel toxins in different ways and that humans used the toilet since it wasn’t acceptable to defecate in the street. Frank didn’t know if they had them in their houses though. 

“Oh right! Sure, the bathroom is just out here.” Gerard smiled, turning and leading the way out the room. Frank breathed a sigh of relief and followed him carefully, walking slowly so he could keep track of whether he was going to fall or not. He managed to make it out of the room with ease, Gerard indicating a door across the living room. 

“Shall we eat in the kitchen then, since you’re up?” He smiled, lifting the plates slightly to indicate the food and Frank nodded absently over his shoulder, forcing a smile before disappearing through the door to the bathroom.

Once inside Frank closed the door and leant against it, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. He was going to have to work much harder to try and come across as normal. He guessed he would just have to observe Gerard closely whilst he was here to see how he acted and the things he said and then just try to replicate that. 

Frank sighed and looked about the bathroom with intrigued eyes, looking at the different fittings and raising his eyebrows. He hadn’t been told much about the inside of human houses since it hadn’t been important, but he knew what the toilet was at least. He wondered whether he should to try to use it or not, feeling a pressure in his abdomen he had put down to his fall but he supposed he could try to urinate. It would give him an excuse to see what his genitals looked like at least.

Feeling uneasy Frank pushed the shorts he was wearing down his legs, hesitating a moment before leaning over and looking down. He wrinkled his nose up in disgust at the sight of the... thing, hanging between his legs. He had been told what to expect, how it should look and how to use it but that didn’t mean it wasn’t ugly. Frank wondered how females could be attracted to this and turned to the mirror, tiptoeing up to look at the reflection of it and finding it didn’t look that much better. He much preferred his tail where it was just smooth. He was soon distracted by the rest of him though. His whole body seemed strange with the legs attached... His skin seemed more tanned, and now the gills on his neck were also gone he just looked... human. He had some white fabric wrapped around his head and he murmured quietly to himself as he touched it.

“Bandage...” That was what Gerard had called it. He could work out its function easily enough, the merpeople used seaweed to bind wounds and he supposed this was for the same reason. 

Sighing Frank turned to face the toilet and shuffled over to it, moving his hand away from his forehead as he went. He wasn’t sure how to pee but he had been told the basics though he had never expected to be in his human body so long that he would need to know this. Of course merpeople defecated too, but they did it like fish... Fish didn’t use toilets or... penises.

Frank took a long time in the bathroom, figuring out how to aim and not spray all over the toilet seat. He didn’t like touching his penis at first, it felt strange and alien and like it shouldn’t be a part of his body. But he did feel much better once he was done and washing his hands. The pressure in his abdomen had gone and he felt a little more confident in himself. This body wasn’t so hard to figure out... He just needed a little time was all.

When Frank stepped out of the bathroom Gerard was sat at the kitchen table looking a little anxious. He smiled when Frank walked in and gestured for him to sit down, sliding one of the plates over to him.

“Are you okay?” He asked softly. Frank had took a long time in the bathroom and Gerard was worried there was something really wrong. Frank only smiled and nodded though and he did seem much better as he picked up one of the pancakes with his hand. Gerard quirked an eyebrow and looked at Frank examining the pancake.

“They’re uh... banana ones. I don’t know if you like that.” He offered quietly, holding his own cutlery ready to tuck in but he was more interested in watching Frank practically molest his pancake. 

“They’re a strange texture...” He whispered and Gerard got the feeling he was talking mostly to himself. He ran his fingers over the pancake before raising it slowly to his mouth. “I’ve never had banana before...” He said thoughtfully, Gerard looking at him in surprise.

“Really?” He asked in disbelief as Frank bit into his pancake, ignoring the cutlery Gerard had laid out for him. He watched as Frank chewed thoughtfully on the pancake, his expression changing from curiosity to utter delight and he sighed in satisfaction once he had swallowed the mouthful. “Do you like them?” Gerard asked, smiling a little as Frank nodded with a wide, genuine grin.

“It’s the nicest thing I’ve ever tasted!” He said enthusiastically causing Gerard to laugh softly. He found that hard to believe too but then he wasn’t really sure what to think of anything Frank said. It was like he had never been to America before or something.

“Well they’re okay I guess...” Gerard said modestly, smiling as he tucked into his own using his knife and fork. Frank continued to eat using his hands but Gerard didn’t really mind. “Sorry this place is a bit of a mess by the way, I haven’t long moved in.” He blushed. It wasn’t really a lie, he had moved in only a month ago. That was plenty of time to have unpacked but he was still mostly living out of boxes. He couldn’t even blame hard work for it, he had been suffering artists block for a long time and had done hardly any work. And his bank account was really feeling it...

“Hm? Oh, you mean all houses don’t look like this?” Frank asked, looking about at the clutter lying around, the open boxes against the walls and the general mess. There were pots of dirty water and paint brushes all around, along with canvases half finished or still completely blank. Gerard blushed and shook his head at Frank’s question, looking at him like he was crazy.

“Uh... No. No not that I know of.” He chuckled, cocking his head to the side. He couldn’t tell if Frank was being genuine or not. How could anyone be like him? Yet he didn’t seem to be mocking Gerard or acting, he just seemed like a genuinely oblivious person.

“So you never told me, where do you come from?” He asked curiously when Frank didn’t say anything else. He was eating his pancakes with gusto which made Gerard feel a little better at least. People didn’t often compliment his cooking... but then he couldn’t actually remember the last time he had ever cooked for anyone. He could barely afford to cook for himself. 

“Oh um...” Frank blushed and shrugged, eating the last of his pancake and smiling curiously when Gerard slid a mug of black liquid over to him. 

“I have milk and sugar too, but I didn’t know how you take your coffee.” Gerard quickly explained, Frank smiling at him and shrugging. He didn’t know how he took his coffee either, he’d never tried it. He picked up the mug, surprised to feel that it was warm, and slowly took a sip of the liquid. Immediately he wrinkled his nose up in disgust, putting the cup down and pushing it away. 

“Or I... Have tea if you prefer...” Gerard said softly, staring at Frank with wide eyes. He just couldn’t work the guy out, but he found he sort of liked him. He was interesting if a little strange. But then Gerard felt like he hadn’t had a man half naked in his house since he was sixteen so that was probably something to do with it. 

“I... No, this is fine.” Frank coughed in regards to the coffee, determined to be normal and if Gerard had expected him to like it then clearly coffee was a normal thing to enjoy. He picked the cup up again and gave it another try, finding it wasn’t so bad now he was expecting it. “It’s nice, thank you.” He lied, Gerard smirking a little fondly at him and shaking his head.

“Okay. Well, you were just telling me where you were from...” He coaxed causing Frank to blush again.

“Oh um. I’m from...” Frank bit his lip, not knowing what to say. He didn’t know any of the names of the surrounding areas, and he couldn’t very well tell Gerard the truth. “I’m just from some like... little town.” He finally muttered, it not entirely a lie. Gerard ‘hmm’d softly, taking the hint that Frank didn’t want to tell him the truth so he dropped it. 

“And you really don’t have any place to stay?” He asked, Frank shrugging and shaking his head.

“It doesn’t matter though. I don’t need one.” He said softly, knowing that if he told Gerard he would go home soon then Gerard would want to know where home was. Or offer to take him. 

“Well of course you need a place to stay.” Gerard gasped, sitting up straighter from where he’d been leaning closer to Frank. “You know I mean it, you can stay here as long as you like.”

“Thank you but I really don’t think it will be necessary.” Frank said slowly, though the offer was seeming more alluring every time Gerard gave it. Sitting at the table after coming to grips with his new body at least slightly, and having tasted human food for the first time and finding it to be utterly magical; Frank just didn’t want to leave anymore. He was even forgetting Jamia, his worry for her falling to the back of his mind as he gazed at Gerard and found he just never wanted to look away. He was so interesting to look at... Handsome really. Frank could feel a strange sensation in his gut, and he found whenever Gerard leant closer the sensation got stronger. 

“Well... We’ll see how you feel tomorrow.” Gerard sighed, deciding to drop that for now. “Why don’t you tell me a little about yourself instead.” He smiled, just wanting to learn at least something about this strange man. He could understand if Frank didn’t want to open up to him, but he wanted to know at least a little more than just his name.

“Oh, well... There isn’t much to tell.” Frank shrugged, biting his lip. “Why don’t you tell me about yourself first.” He suggested, deciding he’d be most convincing if he framed his answer based off the one Gerard gave first. Then he’d have a better idea of how these sorts of questions were handled by humans. 

“Me?” Gerard blushed slightly, never one to talk much about himself but he supposed if he didn’t then it would just give Frank more reason to remain closed to him. “Well... Let me see. I’m... an artist.” He chuckled, stating the obvious concerning all the art supplies strewn around. “I moved here a month ago. I used to live a lot further inland, but I moved here to be close to the sea.”

“You like the sea?” Frank interrupted, grinning at Gerard and taking much more interest in him all of a sudden. 

“Yeah I...Yeah I like the sea.” Gerard chuckled, smiling curiously at Frank. It was the most lively he had seen him yet and he found it endearing. “Do you?”

“I love it!” Frank beamed, thrilled to hear Gerard liked it too. “So you came here to be closer to it? That’s really nice. I don’t think I could live anywhere where I wasn’t close to it.” He smiled, Gerard nodding slowly as he gazed curiously at Frank. That at least told him that Frank had always lived by the sea, or at least always wanted to.

“Well... I liked where I lived before too. But I thought maybe living here might help give me inspiration for my art ya know?” He shrugged, sighing as he looked around at the many blank or ruined canvases and feeling a stirring of guilt. He had spent his savings on moving to this apartment, convinced he’d be fine but he just couldn’t paint anything. It was like all motivation had gone. “As it is though I’m not getting much.”

“Oh...” Frank bit his lip, sensing the sadness in Gerard’s voice and feeling his chest hurt to hear it. “Well... I’m sure something will motivate you soon. I always thought the sea was incredibly beautiful, and if you think about it there’s so much in it that you could use for inspiration if you’d only let yourself believe in it.” He sighed, blushing at Gerard’s intrigued gaze and realising he had said too much. “Or... I don’t know. Maybe not.” He tried to back track, Gerard shaking his head as he chuckled.

“No you’re right.” He smiled, finding Frank’s passion for the ocean incredibly attractive. He spoke the way Gerard had thought he would when he got here, only to find his walks along the harbour only served to tire him out and that looking out past the boats and to the sea beyond only made him feel more lonely than ever. “You know when I was kid, I used to love coming to the sea. I used to go swimming to try and find mermaids, and would get really disappointed whenever I didn’t.” Gerard chuckled but blushed slightly over a story he now thought to be embarrassing. He wasn’t quite sure why he was telling Frank, he just supposed he trusted him not to make fun of him since he was so in love with the sea himself. 

“Really?” Frank grinned, knowing that Gerard probably didn’t believe in mermaids anymore like all humans did but it was still sweet to hear he once did. “Why don’t you paint mermaids?” He suggested, causing the artist to blush and laugh softly, shaking his head.

“No, no... I... I don’t think anyone would want to buy paintings of mermaids.” He chuckled, making Frank frown.

“Why not?” He asked, hoping humans really weren’t that bad. He had thought them to be heartless, idiot creatures but Gerard was making him question that. But if people didn’t like mermaids then he wasn’t sure he could hold onto that belief. “Mermaids are beautiful. Don’t people like beautiful things?”

“Well sure.” Gerard blushed, surprised at how defensive Frank got. “But... I dunno. I guess I just never considered it before. I guess I could.” He said softly, wanting to appease the man he had clearly offended. “I doubt I’d do them justice though... I always imagined them to be so incredibly beautiful, I’m not sure I’d be able to make them look right.”

“You won’t know if you don’t try.” Frank pointed out, smiling again and Gerard relaxed when he saw he had managed to appease the situation. “I could help you if you like. I’m... something of an expert when it comes to mermaids.” Frank smirked, Gerard raising his eyebrows at him but smirking back.

“Oh really?” He chuckled, watching as Frank got to his feet and nodded, stretching his arms above his head and making Gerard’s mouth run dry to see all those softly toned muscles stretching beneath soft tanned skin. He had swimmers muscles, Gerard could tell, and part of him just wanted to pin him down and run his tongue all over them but he tried to push that thought away. Frank probably wasn’t even gay, and if he was that didn’t change the fact that Gerard had only known him all of one hour. 

“What makes you such an expert?” He asked as casually as he could, downing the rest of his coffee and trying to get his thoughts back onto a less sexual track. 

“Hm...” Frank shrugged, not sure how to answer that. “I guess you could say I just... hear a few things.” He shrugged, Gerard cocking his head to the side curiously and chuckling as Frank grinned at him and offered him his hand. “Come on! I wanna help you paint.” He beamed, it not being something he had ever done before but he understood the basics and he wanted to try. 

Gerard couldn’t help but laugh as he got to his feet with a nod, letting Frank take his hand and lead him to the living room where his canvases were all set up. He didn’t know much about Frank still, and he still found him bizarre, but he found himself hoping even more that he would stay a few days. It had been a long time since Gerard had had company, and he had always been of the opinion that was because he didn’t like it. But Frank had only been in his apartment since that morning and already the thought of him leaving made his heart sink with disappointment.


	3. Chapter three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frank and Gerard get some male bonding. But Jamia isn't having nearly as much fun.

Gerard handed Frank a paintbrush with a soft smile, watching the younger man curiously as he grinned and ran his fingertips against the fine bristles of the brush. He had already mentioned that he had never painted before but he seemed eager to try and Gerard was more than happy to let him use a few materials.

Since there were already plenty of canvases already set up Gerard only had to open a few tubes of paint and grab one of the many paint stained cups of water and they were ready to go. Whilst he was quickly preparing everything Frank just stood staring at everything with sparkling eyes full of curiosity. He had a strange look swirling in his irises, not unlike the one found in the eyes of a child. It was like Frank was seeing everything for the first time but of course Gerard knew that was impossible. Such innocence was a rare thing to find in a grown man though and Gerard found it seemed to have a strange affect on him, as if Frank was charged with a sort of magnetism that sucked him in.

“Alright, so... Have you done much drawing before?” Gerard finally asked once he had finished setting out the paints. He looked at Frank with a soft smile, watching with intrigue at the way he was stroking the brush against his palm. 

“Mm... No. Not really.” Frank replied without looking at Gerard, his eyes fixed on the blank canvas infront of him. “Only a little.” He confessed. He had only ever drawn things with his finger in the sand, like all merpeople did. He had seen paintings though, done by humans. Some of the sunken ships had large portraits and paintings still inside, and though the water had damaged most of them beyond repair Frank knew that the details the humans could put into their paintings could never be matched by a simple drawing in the sand.

“Well, it doesn’t really matter.” Gerard assured Frank, turning back to his own canvas. “The important thing is that you enjoy yourself.” He smiled softly but his cheeks flamed red over how cliché his words sounded. He didn’t want to come across as some stupid artist just full of ridiculous one liners, but when he glanced at Frank it didn’t look like the younger man thought he was ridiculous at all. In fact he was smiling at him so warmly Gerard felt like he was melting.

“Well, how do we start?” Frank asked brightly, looking at the canvas again. Somewhere in the back of his mind he was aware that he should be worrying about Jamia and getting back to the sea, but he was starting to realise that the human world was actually just as exciting as he had always believed and the bigger, much more dominant side of him wanted nothing more than to stay and just learn everything he could. Starting with painting.

“Well uh... I guess you just pick a colour.” Gerard answered Frank’s question, indicating the open tubes of paint that he had squeezed small amounts from onto a palette. “You wanted to paint a mermaid right?” He asked softly, Frank’s smile growing so wide it lit up the whole room. Gerard couldn’t help but stare for a moment; his dingy little apartment had never seemed so bright. 

“Definitely.” Frank beamed, Gerard smirking slightly. “Are you going to paint one too?”

“Sure.” Gerard shrugged, dipping his brush into a pale yellow colour, not too far from being cream. Frank immediately chose the same colour, copying Gerard’s actions since he had no idea how to paint at all himself. 

“So, every artist paints differently but I like to start off by doing a sort of basic outline.” Gerard got the impression Frank was after some sort of instruction so he tried be informative as he put his brush to the canvas and began to paint. Frank watched him closely, observing the way he moved the brush before turning to his own canvas and trying to replicate it as Gerard continued to speak. 

“I guess the thing with painting is to just do what feels natural to you. Just have the picture you want to make in your head and just... go for it.” Gerard had always had a natural talent for all things artistic, so he found trying to explain how to paint incredibly difficult. But when he glanced at Frank it was to see that the younger man was already focusing intently on his own canvas. His skill with the brush was practically nonexistent, his hand was shaky and he pressed down too hard. But the look of delight on his face was genuine. 

“And so you get paid to do this?” Frank asked softly as he stared at his canvas, drawing like he did when he used his finger in the sand. The sensation of the brush on the canvas was strange; trying to draw upright stranger still, but he was enjoying himself.

Gerard smirked a little at Frank’s question, focusing on his own canvas again as he worked on drawing the basic outline of a body and tail. “I get paid if someone buys my work... Recently though I haven’t been getting much business.” He shrugged, trying to sound casual and not let on how bad things really were. It was his own fault, he knew. He had always been able to get by on the money from his paintings. There had been good times and hard times, business was rarely consistent... but this was the worst things had ever been and he knew it was all down to his artist block. But as he worked steadily on his canvas he realised with a jolt in his stomach he was enjoying himself... He was feeling the vague, impatient excitement he used to feel when he would work on a piece of art and just be over eager to finish it. It was a sensation he hadn’t felt in a very long time.

Frank continued to ask questions as he and Gerard stood side by side and worked on their canvases. Gerard answered everything in detail, seeming to understand Frank didn’t understand things like other people did whether he was conscious of the fact or not. He talked to him about his favourite artists and the many techniques you could develop. He told him about his work and how he sold different pieces; about his love for the sea some more and what his family were like. He wasn’t even aware of how much he was opening up, he just felt so comfortable around the strange man he had found on the harbour. Frank just seemed to emit a comforting aura and Gerard found himself talking more than he had in years.

“I still go down to the harbour most days. I love looking at all the boats and the water and stuff.” He smiled, changing the colour on his brush and starting to fill in the basic outline he had painted with detail. “I guess I feel sort of at peace when I’m near the sea. But it just didn’t inspire me like I imagined it would.”

“Well you seem to be painting okay now.” Frank pointed out with a smile, glancing over at Gerard’s work and watching as he began to blend colours together. He hadn’t done so much that Frank could tell what it was, though of course he knew it would end up being a mermaid. His own painting was looking rather crude, but he was enjoying himself too much to care. He knew he wouldn’t be able to paint like Gerard having never done it before, there was no way he’d know how to mix and blend colours like Gerard was doing and so he simply painted his own mermaid using one colour at a time.

Gerard smiled at Frank’s words, nodding as he continued to paint. “I haven’t been able to stand and paint like this in months. You must have a good influence on me.” He said playfully, making Frank grin and chuckle as he abandoned his mermaids face to work on the tail instead.

“Do you think you’ll be able to start selling your work again then?” He asked curiously, loving to hear that he had provided Gerard with some inspiration though it made him feel a little worried too. Now that he was painting a mermaid he was becoming conscious of the fact he needed to get away. He couldn’t let Jamia slip from his mind; he needed to get back into the sea and spread the alarm that she needed help. He didn’t know where she was or if she was hurt or not, and people were probably worried about him too. The last thing he should be doing was painting with a stranger in his apartment.

“Well, I certainly hope I can.” Gerard responded to Frank’s question, oblivious to the younger mans concerns. “I need to get back on my game. Rent doesn’t pay itself.” He laughed, trying to remain light hearted. 

“Uhuh.” Frank nodded, not really listening. He didn’t even know what rent was but he didn’t ask. He was staring at his shaky, child like painting and adding the scales and fins to the tail almost without thinking. He was worrying about Jamia again and starting to feel guilt rise in his chest. He had told Gerard he would stay just one more night so that he could rest, but now he wasn’t sure that was such a good idea. 

“Hey, that’s interesting.” Gerard interrupted Frank’s train of thought as he turned to look at his canvas and at what he was painting. “It’s really good.” He complimented him, looking at the tail that was now in full colour, Frank just adding the different fins. Gerard’s own painting still only had the basic outline for the tail, but when Frank glanced over he could see he was already missing a lot.

“Thanks.” He responded idly, smiling as he looked at Gerard’s mermaid. “Are you only going to add the caudal fin?” He asked curiously, Gerard quirking an eyebrow at him and following his gaze to his canvas before looking at Frank’s face again.

“I uh... Add the want?” He asked, blushing slightly. It sounded to him like Frank had just spoken in a whole other language. 

“The caudal fin.” Frank repeated, Gerard’s face still oblivious so he leant forward to tap the wooden end of his paintbrush against the outline of the fins at the end of the mermaid’s tail. “These.” He clarified, turning to tap the same fins on his own painting. 

“Oh I... I didn’t really think about it.” Gerard confessed, not sure what Frank was asking him. “I mean, Ariel only has a caudal fin doesn’t she?” He asked with a chuckle, wondering if he had done something wrong. “I didn’t even know they had a name.” 

“Of course they have a name.” Frank smirked. “Who’s Ariel?” He added, wondering if Gerard knew a mermaid after all. 

“Ariel? Haven’t you ever seen the little mermaid?” Gerard chuckled, looking at Frank’s blank expression and raising his eyebrows. “You know, the movie?”

“Movie?” Frank repeated slowly, furrowing his eyebrows in clear confusion. “What’s a movie?”

Gerard stared at Frank for a long moment as if he had gone crazy. He was still holding his paintbrush but he had completely forgotten his painting by now. He wondered if Frank had simply not heard him properly or whether he really didn’t know what a movie was. 

“I... You... Don’t you know Disney?” He asked, Frank’s look of confusion only growing worse and Gerard realised he really didn’t know what he was talking about. “Wow. I... Wow. You haven’t ever seen a movie before?”

“I don’t think so.” Frank said slowly, blushing deeply. His heart was racing again, conscious that he was revealing that he was unaware of something that was obviously an integral part of being human. “Anyway, if you want to paint mermaids then you need to know how to give them the right fins.” He quickly added, eager to change the conversation topic before it became anymore obvious how out of place he was. 

Gerard continued to gaze at Frank with some intrigue, making a mental note to watch The Little Mermaid with him at the next opportunity. He still couldn’t believe Frank had never seen a movie before, in fact he got the distinct impression that he didn’t even know what a movie was. But he could also tell that Frank was going flustered over this fact and considering he was supposed to be resting as it was Gerard decided it was probably best not to stress him out even more.

“Alright then.” He smiled, going along with Frank’s topic change. “What fins am I supposed to paint?”

“I’ll show you.” Frank smiled, relieved to be back on a subject he actually knew something about. He took Gerard’s wrist and pulled him gently to stand beside him at his easel, the artist looking at the painting there and the different lines on the mermaid tail. Frank’s drawing skill wasnt much better than the average four year olds, but Gerard could see what he had tried to create. 

“Okay, so these are the caudal fin right?” He asked, nodding at the fans at the very end of the tail. The word for them was strange sounding, Gerard was certain he had never heard it before, but then he supposed Frank had said he was on expert on these things. 

“That’s right.” Frank nodded, smiling as he used the end of the paintbrush to indicate another two fins. They were long and flowing on the sides of the tail. One was on the left side nearer the top of the tail, and the other was on the right side nearer the bottom. “These are the dorsal fins, they’re always on the side of the tail and usually one is higher than the other but it differs.” He explained, pointing at the left one again. “This is the primary dorsal fin. And this,” Frank pointed to the right. “Is the secondary dorsal fin. The primary dorsal fin is always whichever fin is highest.”

“Right...” Gerard nodded, listening carefully as he looked at the painting. He had never known that mermaids had specific fins and that there were names for them, but he found it incredibly interesting. “And that just leaves those ones?” He asked, pointing at two more fins side by side at the front of the tail, just below where the scales began on the abdomen.

“Yep, those are the pelvic fins.” Frank smiled, Gerard nodding with a small ‘oh’.

“Pretty self explanatory then.” He chuckled, Frank nodding though he wasnt sure what Gerard meant. “How do you know all this stuff?” Gerard asked, still looking at the painting and going through the names for each fin again in his head. He was even more eager to do his own painting now. 

“Oh I...” Frank trailed off, shrugging and biting his lip. “I guess I just pick up bits of information.” He eventually mumbled, not knowing how to explain how he had got his knowledge without revealing what he was. “I’m really into mermaids and stuff.” He shrugged, Gerard chuckling as he stepped back to his own easel to carry on with his painting. He found it endearing that Frank was happy to tell him that, most full grown men would be too embarrassed to admit liking mermaids but it was as if that thought had never even crossed Frank’s mind. 

“Well I love that you know a lot about them.” Gerard smiled, continuing his painting. Frank smiled back and gazed at him working for a moment before he turned to sit down on the sofa. He was feeling a little tired after standing up for so long when he wasnt used to it. Being out of water was strange, it seemed that everything just took so much more energy. Though he supposed the wound to his head didn’t help.

“I could tell you anything about them.” He said idly, relaxing back on the sofa and just watching Gerard paint for a while. “I love the sea...”

Gerard glanced over his shoulder at Frank with a smile, noticing that he was looking a little tired and he turned to face him properly. “Are you feeling alright? You can go back to bed if you like.” He told him gently but Frank shook his head.

“I’m fine. I just need to sit for a moment.” He assured the older man, Gerard nodding though he gazed at him for a moment longer, worried that he had over worked himself. He knew people with head injuries were supposed to stay in bed but Frank’s smile was genuine if a little tired. “Alright, well... How about I put on the Little Mermaid for you to watch?” He offered, blushing slightly over how strange it was to suggest such a thing to a full grown man but he knew Frank would be up for it. 

“Oh?” As expected Frank’s face lit up immediately and he nodded. “Please do. I’m interested to see what it’s like.” He smiled, still not sure what the Little Mermaid or movies were, but he didn’t say anything as Gerard moved to pick out a small case from a shelf besides the TV and put the DVD into the machine. Frank watched the motions with interest, not knowing what any of these items were and he jumped in surprise when the black screen of the TV suddenly lit up with colour.

Gerard was oblivious to Frank’s amazed stare as he skipped the trailers and scrolled the menu options. Frank of course had never seen a TV before and he gazed in astonishments at the moving pictures on the screen. He was desperate to ask how it worked but he knew it would only make it more obvious how out of place he was and so kept quiet and simply watched. 

Once Gerard got the movie playing he got back to his feet and moved back to his easel so he could carry on painting as Frank watched the screen. He smiled at him and told him not to worry if he fell asleep or anything, but Frank was clearly not listening, to busy staring in amazement at the cartoon playing.

Gerard watched him staring at the screen with a fond smile for a moment before he turned back to his painting and concentrated on that. Frank was silent as he watched the movie, the only sounds in the room the ones coming from the TV. 

Frank watched film with some interest, finding the whole thing absurd at first. The merfolk depicted on the screen were nothing like the ones in the ocean, though he liked the look of their giant palace, he wouldn’t mind one of those. It was obvious the movie was human made, but as it played on Frank began to find it somewhat educational. There were hints and explanations in the movie towards what human life was like, and Frank found he could relate to Ariel all too easily. He may not have come to the surface seeking a prince, but he could sympathise over the difficulty to fit in.

As the movie was drawing to a close Frank felt his eyes begin to droop. Though he hadn’t been awake for much more than six hours coming to terms with where he was and his new body had taken it out of him and before he knew it he was soon falling asleep. By the time the credits rolled onto the screen and Gerard turned to see how Frank had found it the younger man was slumped down against the cushions, his lips parted as he breathed deeply. 

Gerard bit his lip and smiled warmly, turning away from his painting to consider taking Frank back to the spare room to put him to bed. He knew it would probably be best if he did but in the end he decided he simply didn’t want to. Although he was only sleeping, and although Gerard had his back to him, he actually enjoyed having Frank in the same room. It brought him a strange sort of comfort and so he simply turned the TV off and let the younger man sleep as he went back to his painting. 

***

“Jamia! Oh goodness it is good to see you back, I came as soon as I heard.” Jamia looked up blearily as Marigold hurried over to her, taking her hand and clasping it between both of her own. Jamia was lying on a flat rock not too far from the drop off point where she had left with Frank the day before. The other merfolk of the community had crowded around her, fussing over her and all talking at once; but now that Marigold was here everyone had fallen silent. 

“We got so worried about you when you didn’t come back last night. Is everything alright, are you hurt?” Marigold asked urgently but delicately, not wanting to frighten the already clearly anxious girl. “I can see that Frank isn’t with you.”

“We got caught in a storm.” Jamia whimpered, her voice a little croaky from all the crying she had done. “The waves were so big... And the current was too strong for us. It tore us apart but I don’t know what happened to Frank.” 

All around her the merfolk exchanged nervous glances. It had been centuries since anything like this had happened and it was clear that most people were already assuming they would never see Frank again. Jamia was coated in cuts and bruises though for the most part she didn’t look too hurt. 

“We need to find Frank, we need to-”

“Hush dear.” Marigold cut Jamia off quickly, laying a finger over her lips and shaking her head. “You need to rest. We will send a search party after Frank. You needn’t worry.” She assured her, though it had been so long since anything like this had happened Marigold didn’t know if a search party would be any good. It was part of her job to find merfolk who may be lost or hurt on their way to the surface, but she had never actually had to do it before.

“Do you have any idea of where he might be?”

“No I... I tried looking for him.” Jamia mewled, squeezing her eyes shut as she tried to force down the lump in her throat. “I was thrown into a fishing net during the storm... but I was able to get out when it ended. I went everywhere looking for Frank but I couldn’t find him. He could be hurt or caught or dead for all I know.” Jamia’s shoulders began to shake as she began to cry, her tears invisible beneath the water but her sorrow only too plain. “I knew going to the surface would be too dangerous!”

“Now don’t you speak like that.” Marigold quickly quietened her. There were plenty of the younger merfolk around who would be looking to go to the surface in the next year or two and it was important that this incident didn’t put anyone off going. “We’ll find Frank, I can promise you that.” She said gently, smiling as comfortingly as she could before she turned to a mermaid with a gold tail and dark red hair. “Immy you can help Jamia can’t you?”

“Of course.” The mermaid, Immy, nodded. She smiled comfortingly at Jamia and swam closer to her. Though the merfolk didn’t use medicine as such, they had basic ideas of how to take care of anyone who was injured and Immy was the most gifted in this area. She turned to Jamia then, examining the extents of her cuts and bruises and murmuring comforting words to her to calm her down as Marigold swam away and began to pick out a few of the mermen to form a search party.

“Bob, David and... Ah, Jake, you three won’t mind going in search of Frankie will you?” She smiled as the mermen pointed out swam forward. All three of them had been to the surface before, and they were also the strongest in the community. None of them hesitated in answering Marigold, assuring her they would look for Frank straight away. 

“Good.” Marigold smiled, though her stomach was still swirling nervously. “Be very careful, and don’t go up to the surface. If you can’t find him in the water then there will be no hope for him.” She said quietly, careful not to let Jamia hear. It pained her to say the words, she wanted desperately for Frank to be okay but she would not jeopardize the entire community for the sake of one life. 

Bob, Jake and David exchanged glances, their faces carefully expressionless but their sadness could be seen in their eyes. Frank was popular amongst the whole community. He was energetic and friendly and always up to something. No one wanted to imagine him not returning. 

“We’ll find him.” Bob finally spoke, his voice full of conviction. Frank was his neighbour and his friend, he refused to believe that they wouldn’t find him. Jamia herself had come back with little more than a few cuts, Bob refused to believe that Frank had been seriously hurt. “We’ll return as soon as we have him.”

Bob turned and swam away without another word, David and Jake hesitating just a moment before they too swam after him. They knew the way to the harbour without having to go above the waves and they swam with all the speed they could muster. If Frank was alive then they were determined to find him. 

*** 

Frank awoke to the scent of something delicious. He didn’t know what the scent was, but it stirred him from his sleep like a gentle caress to his cheek and he sighed as he rolled onto his front and lifted his head to inhale deeply. He kept his eyes closed for a moment longer, letting his body come to terms with being awake before he slowly opened his eyes and gazed around. 

Gerard was no longer in the living room, but Frank could see his now completed painting still on its easel. The window showed that it was now dark outside, but the lights on the side had been turned on and the TV was on quiet, bathing the room in a warm glow that made Frank smile. Colours like this just didn’t exist in the ocean.

Frank could hear that Gerard was moving about in the kitchen and he imagined that was where the smell was coming from too. But in that moment he was more interested in taking a look at the painting. The mermaid was finished, looking so real Frank could hardly believe Gerard had made her out of paint. He had depicted her lying on her back on the beach, her wet hair splayed out around her. He had started to fill in the background though it didn’t reach all the way to the edges of the canvas, but Frank had eyes only for the maiden.

Now that she had all the right fins on her tail she looked just as if she had truly come from the sea. Her tail was a fiery red colour with fins painted to look more transparent. Her long hair was blonde and seemed to glisten on the canvas. She had full lips and long lashed eyes and Frank wondered if this was the face of a woman Gerard knew... Whether he liked her.

“Oh, you’re awake.” Frank jumped at the sudden sound of Gerard’s voice though he had spoken softly. He turned to face him, smiling and nodding as Gerard walked over with a strangely shaped glasses in his hand. “I’m making us a vegetarian pasta for dinner. I wasn’t sure if you’d eat meat or not so...” Gerard handed Frank one of the glasses, smiling softly at him. “It will still go nice with this wine though. Do you like wine?”

“I’ve never tried it.” Frank admitted quietly, turning back to the canvas as he took a sip of the deep burgundy liquid inside the glass. It wasn’t a surprise for Gerard when Frank immediately began choking, gasping and spluttering in surprise at the strange sensation of the alcoholic fumes rising in his throat. 

“I probably should have warned you about that.” Gerard chuckled sheepishly, getting the feeling he was probably making the poor man’s life hell but before he could offer to get Frank something different to drink he was already taking another sip and this time managed not to choke. 

“It’s fine.” Frank assured him, finding that he rather enjoyed the taste even if he didn’t like the alcohol content. “You finished your painting.” 

“Ah, yeah. I uh... I just need to finish the background and let it dry and then it’ll be ready to sell.” Gerard smiled, looking at the mermaid too. Frank looked at him in surprise, a grin splitting his features. 

“You’re going to sell it?” He beamed, thrilled to hear that Gerard liked it enough to do that. But then at the same time Frank was going to be sad to see it go; but, he reasoned with himself, he too would be leaving in the morning so it wasn’t like he’d be around to see it anyway. 

“I sell all my paintings.” Gerard responded, still gazing at the beautiful woman he had painted. “I need to, to get by. I’m hoping this one is going to be the first of many... It felt good to be painting again.” He sighed, smiling to himself. He felt much more positive now he had got so much painting done that day; like his artists block had finally shifted and he had already been inundated with more ideas. “Do you like it?”

“I love it.” Frank quickly nodded, resisting the urge to reach out and touch the beautiful face of the maiden unless he ruined it. “Is she based off someone you know?” He asked softly. He knew that when humans took a partner it wasn’t like when merfolk did. Humans took partners for love whereas merfolk were paired off based on fertility. It wasn’t uncommon for merpeople to fall in love, but sex rarely came into it. He knew that with humans though sex and attraction was a large part of their relationships.

“Someone I... No. God no.” Gerard couldn’t help but laugh at Frank’s innocent question, quickly shaking his head. He was something of a recluse, and other than his own family he didn’t really know anyone else. He didn’t have any friends. “She’s just someone I made up.”

“She’s very pretty.” Frank smiled, glancing at Gerard again. “I thought she might be a past... lover.” Frank knew that humans had terms for their partners in different stages of their relationships, but Frank had never really paid much attention to them so he used the term he knew to be unisex. 

“A lover?” Gerard laughed even more at that, causing Frank to smile at him curiously. “No, no no no.” Gerard drew out the last ‘no’, shaking his head and taking a quick sip of his wine. “No I uh... No I don’t put any of my past lovers in my paintings. And uh... Well, she certainly isn’t one.” Gerard looked at Frank a little nervously. He had always believed in being open about his sexuality, but when being open about it to a stranger who was also incredibly attractive and remarkably strange Gerard couldn’t help but feel a little anxious. “I’m actually gay, you see.”

“Gay?” Frank repeated, cocking his head to the side. The word rang a bell, but he couldn’t quite place it. “What’s gay again?” He asked, trying to act as if it was completely normal to forget the words meaning but he could tell from Gerard’s face it wasn’t. But the artist was growing used to being surprised by the little Frank knew and so he quietly explained it to him without question.

“It means that I am attracted other men, not women.” He said gently, Frank nodding with an ‘oh’ and smiling. Of course, he remembered now. Humans weren’t like merfolk. Although merpeople fornicated in male/female pairs they didn’t have anything like a sexuality. When they were in the sea they couldn’t have sex, and so it didn’t matter who you fell in love with. All merpeople in a relationship didn’t have sex, that was just the way it was. But humans of course did, and Frank could remember being told that it was considered normal that everyone fornicate with someone of the opposite sex, but that in some cases humans had sex with someone who was the same sex as them and this had a label – Gay.

“Well, she’s still very pretty.” Frank smiled, referring to the painting again. “But maybe you could paint a merman next time. I prefer men too, ya know.” He smirked, wanting to let Gerard know he didn’t mind that he was gay. It wasn’t strange to merpeople to love someone the same sex as you, but Frank was beginning to notice more and more since being in Gerard’s apartment that he was connecting with him on a level he never had with anyone in the sea. He was also enjoying the small flashes of chest he could see through the gaps where his shirt buttons were much more than he had ever enjoyed looking at the chests of mermaids, or even mermen. Though a male chest was more attractive to him, he had always just assumed that was because it was more familiar to him.

Gerard looked at Frank with some surprise, thrilled to hear he was gay though he knew that he shouldn’t assume anything. Just because they were both gay didn’t mean that anything was going to happen. Just because he was attracted to Frank it didn’t mean that Frank was attracted to him, besides they didn’t even knock each other that much at all. 

“Well um... That’s uh, good.” Gerard coughed, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly and taking another gulp of wine to make himself feel less shy around Frank who was smiling calmly at him. “Well I better go check on the dinner anyway. I hope you’re hungry.” He smiled, going back towards the kitchen, Frank following him.

“Mm, starving.” Frank responded, sipping his wine and looking around the apartment, finding the artificial light intriguing. The smell of the food alone was making his stomach growl and he couldn’t wait to taste it. The pancakes that morning had been incredible and he just wanted to try everything Gerard could make. 

He sat at the kitchen table as Gerard put his wine down and began to stir the pasta and bustle about sorting out plates and salad. Frank kept quiet as he watched the older man, finding his eyes drawn to the most absurd places, like the artists backside. Frank had never seen a humans bottom until that day and he found it to be quiet... tempting. He wanted to grab and cup it, to squeeze it and feel how firm it was. He supposed it was because merpeople didn’t have anything like that. He smiled to himself as he turned back to his wine and sipped some more, at least when he was back in the spare room and alone he could take some time to explore his own body and learn a little more about being a human.

Frank didn’t even realise he wasn’t even thinking about Jamia anymore. Once again the mermaid had disappeared from his mind, taken over from the amazing things happening around him and as the food was served and Frank took his first bite all he could think about was how he wished he wouldn’t have to leave in the morning.


	4. Chapter four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Like a fish out of water.

Frank sighed as he yawned and scratched the back of his neck, walking across the spare room to the bed after folding up his borrowed clothes. He and Gerard had been sat up talking until late into the night and now Frank was exhausted despite having had a nap earlier.

Frank had got to know much more about Gerard whilst they had been talking and he had come to really like the man. Frank didn’t know if all humans were as interesting as Gerard was, but if they were then he really didn’t want to leave the human world quickly at all. Gerard was just so incredibly sweet, he seemed to be so interested in Frank and yet would get talking about himself and talk for quite a long time. Not in an arrogant way, but as if he hadn’t had chance to talk to anyone in a really long time. Frank felt as if he hadn’t been able to talk to anyone like this in a really long time too…

Frank sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed as he smiled to himself, rubbing his hands over his thighs and gazing down at his legs as he swung them slowly. As tired as he was he didn’t want to go to sleep just yet. He didn’t want the morning to come because he knew then he would have to leave. He had to get back to the ocean and find Jamia, but it made him sad to know that Gerard wouldn’t be with him.

Frank wondered if this was why it had never been acceptable for merpeople to make themselves known to the humans. Frank had always been told it was because the humans would hurt them if they knew about them, that they were dangerous and that for the sake of the species survival they had to remain a secret to the land dwellers. But Gerard didn’t seem dangerous at all, in fact he was much nicer than most merpeople Frank knew and he was starting to think socialising with humans was dangerous only because it made you want to stay out of the ocean.

Frank knew that merpeople couldn’t be out of the water indefinitely. It was known that eventually if you stayed on loud too long then your human legs would stick and you would be unable to get your tail back. Frank didn’t know what the time frame for that was, but in the back of his mind he knew it was important to get back into the sea if only to make sure he didn’t lose his tail if nothing else.

Frank looked down at his legs and sighed, biting his lip as he ran his hands down to lay over his knees. He was still not quite used to the sight of the legs, he knew it would take him a while to stop feeling the need to stare at them. Though he was able to walk on them alright he knew that also could do with some work, and he knew he would probably love the ability to walk for a long time whilst it remained a novelty. But then he also knew he would never get used to his legs because in the morning he would be returning to the sea.

Frank sighed and lifted his legs onto the bed, moving to lie down and pull the covers over himself. As he lay back and laid his hands behind his head he thought about Gerard and smiled to himself again. He was so intrigued by Gerard’s body and he wished he could get to look at it properly but even he knew it wasn’t acceptable to stare. He had taken some time when he had been in the bathroom before coming to bed to stare at his reflection in the mirror and gaze at his human body, but it just didn’t seem to inspire the same interest in him as looking at Gerard’s body did.

Though Frank did find his own human body interesting enough and he was eager to learn all about it, there was just something about Gerard’s he preferred. Though he knew there wasn’t much difference between them, he just liked to look at Gerard more. He was so much more beautiful, every curve of his body was enticing. Frank felt like he wanted to kiss every inch of him, to trail his lips down those fascinating legs and look at the older man from all angles. 

Frank rolled onto his side and hugged one of the cushions to his chest, squeezing it and kneading it with his hands, intrigued by its shape and texture as he melted against the mattress. He slept on a rock in his cave that was coated in seaweed and had always found it comfortable, but it had nothing on this bed. He felt so warm and content, he never wanted to move. Did all humans live like this? Such luxury seemed unimaginable, and yet here Frank was, in seventh heaven and swooning over a man he had just met.

Frank sighed as he closed his eyes and shuffled further under the duvet, resting his cheek against the plump pillow and allowing images of Gerard to move around his mind. He didn’t want to leave in the morning, he couldn’t deny it. He was worried about Jamia, it was impossible for him not to be, but he was highly conscious that he wasn’t as worried as he probably should be. He shouldn’t be lying in this heavenly bed, swishing his feet and basking in the warmth around him. He should be in the sea already, sending the alarm and getting Jamia help. He knew he should be feeling guilty… but he just didn’t.

Frank couldn’t stop his thoughts from keeping him awake for a long time, thinking about Gerard and Jamia, and the land and the sea and agonising over what he should do. If only he could go to the sea quickly and then just come back to the shore. But Frank knew that once you had your human legs and then went back into water, you would be unable to come onto land again for another year.

*

“Any sign of him?” Bob asked anxiously as David returned to him and Jake, shaking his head sadly. 

“I couldn’t see him Bob.” He said apologetically, it clear that Bob and Jake hadn’t had any luck either. “If he’s not around here then he’s either still on land or he’s gone too far for us to get him back.” David didn’t want to be the one to point out the obvious but he knew it was a difficult truth that they all had to face. 

“Hmm…” Bob nodded, looking around and biting his lip as he tried to think of what to do. Jake and David watched him expectantly, waiting for him to make a decision of what they did next. 

Bob knew that they should just go back to the town and tell Marigold they had been unable to find Frank and let her deal with it. Bob couldn’t be sure but he got the feeling that if he did Marigold would simply call the merpeople together and tell them Frank had been lost. They would be forced to grieve as if he had died, never to see him again, never to feel peace about what happened to him. Jamia would end up blaming herself and Bob knew she would become depressed; he himself would struggle to get over losing Frank. And then of course the merpeople who had never been to the surface before would probably never want to through fear that they wouldn’t return.

Bob sighed and bowed his head, his head aching as he tried to think of another option. Any plan they may have overlooked in order to return with Frank.

“Bob…” Jake said nervously, sensing that the blonde was starting to grow stressed. “Bob we’ll just have to go back.”

“No!” Bob looked up and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. “No…” He said gently. “We can’t go, not yet. We’ll just have to look on land.”

“What? No Bob, we can’t!” David gasped, swimming closer to him and shaking his head vigorously. “We can’t go up on the shore it’s too dangerous. We haven’t prepared, we don’t have any clothes, we can’t very well go walking through the humans territory naked, they’ll definitely notice.” He scoffed, frowning as Bob just stared back at him with a stubborn expression. “If Frank’s still on land then he’s lost, we can’t help him. We have to go back.”

“I’m not going to abandon him.” Bob insisted, clenching his fists and looking up towards the surface. He could see the water was lighter up there where the moon was shining on it. “We’ll be safer if we go now whilst it’s night.” He added, determined not to give up on Frank. He was his best friend and he wasn’t going to just assume he was gone for good because they hadn’t been able to find him yet. 

“It’s not safe enough.” David insisted, frowning at Bob. “If you want to go up there then you can go up there alone, I’m not going to the surface. You heard what Marigold said.” 

“I don’t care what Marigold said, Frank is our friend. We can’t just abandon him – try to imagine if it was you who was lost. Would you want us to give up so easily then?” He asked simply, Jake starting to look uncomfortable but though David softened he didn’t change his mind. 

“I’m sorry… But I won’t do it.” He said simply, turning to swim away back towards the town before Bob could try to convince him anymore. He knew better than to go up to the human world without preparation and he also knew that they could go up there and search for years and still never find Frank. For all they knew he wasn’t even up there, and if that was the case they’d be risking themselves and the whole of their species for nothing. He wasn’t going to put everyone on the line like that. 

Bob watched David swim away with a frown, feeling his stomach sink. He didn’t call after him or try to make him stay, he knew he couldn’t force him to go to the surface if he didn’t want to, he only hoped Jake wouldn’t desert him too. He turned to him then, looking at him with pleading eyes. 

“Jake?”

“I’m sorry Bob.” The younger merman looked unhappy about letting Bob down, but his words held conviction. He wrung his hands nervously as he flicked his tail, already turning to leave. “But I can’t go with you either. I can’t risk it.” He said apologetically, waiting for Bob to give a short, tense nod before he too turned and swam after David.

Once Bob was left alone he felt even more torn what to do. He didn’t think he should go to the surface alone, especially since he had no clothes to wear when he got there. He would only be able to roam the beach but if Frank wasn’t there he would be unable to go no further. If he went back to the town and tried to prepare he knew he wouldn’t be allowed to return to the harbour once it was discovered what he was planning to do. 

“Damn it.” Bob cursed, looking up towards where he could see vague moonlight and wishing he could just think of a solution. He couldn’t abandon Frank… He couldn’t. 

*

“So, how’s your head feeling?”

“Better.” Frank smiled, tucking into the pancakes Gerard had lay before him and eagerly shovelling fork after fork of the delicious food into his mouth. When Gerard had asked him what he wanted for breakfast his answer had been instantaneous. Pancakes was quickly becoming Frank’s favourite thing ever. 

“I can take the bandage off after breakfast if you want.” Gerard offered, paying more attention to his coffee than his own pancakes. “It was only necessary whilst you were bleeding but I’m sure you won’t be anymore.” 

Frank smiled at Gerard and nodded, his mouth so full of pancake that his cheeks were puffed out. He was glad to hear that the bandage could come off soon, though he had forgotten he was even wearing it. When he had woke up that morning, with the sun streaming through his curtains and lighting up his bed the first thing on his mind had been Gerard and how eager he was to talk to him again. He was still aware that he was going to have to leave that morning, but he was trying not to think about it, as if that would somehow make it easier. 

“You like pancakes, don’t you.” Gerard smirked, watching Frank over his coffee cup at the way the younger man was wolfing down his food. “You shouldn’t eat so fast, you’ll get indigestion.”

Frank raised his eyebrows at Gerard, not entirely sure what he was talking about but he obediently slowed down his eating until he was chewing in practically slow motion. He noticed Gerard still hadn’t touched his own breakfast and he gulped down the banana and pancake in his mouth to ask him why. 

“Aren’t you hungry?” 

“Mm, not really.” Gerard shrugged, moving one pancake from his stack before leaning across the table to place the other three onto Frank’s plate. “I don’t get hungry until the afternoon really, but I try to eat breakfast in the mornings. Meant to be healthy and all that.” Gerard rolled his eyes, showing he didn’t much think breakfast made that much difference. “I mostly just need my coffee and I’m fine.”

Frank nodded slowly, blushing at the extra pancakes on his plate. He felt bad for eating Gerard’s food but he thanked him softly anyway. If Gerard wasn’t hungry Frank certainly was and he wasn’t going to say no to more pancakes. 

“I think I could just eat pancakes all day.” Frank commented, smiling in surprise when Gerard laughed and nodded, smirking at him. 

“I can see that.” He said playfully, making Frank smirk as he continued to plough through his stack. Gerard watched him in amusement, loving to see him enjoying his food and looking so cheerful. Since getting to know a little more about Frank Gerard was finding he really liked him. He was so sweet and genuine, he had a naïve honesty about him that other people just didn’t have. Gerard loved that. 

“Have you thought anymore about whether you’ll be leaving today?” He asked quietly after a moment, his stomach twisting at the words. He hadn’t really wanted to ask Frank about it, since he was hoping he had forgotten and so would stay longer. But he couldn’t bring himself to go through the day wondering if Frank was about to go any second, and if Frank was staying then he really ought to go out and buy some more food. 

Frank stopped eating for a second at Gerard’s question, his heart sinking. He really didn’t want to leave but he hadn’t allowed himself to consider staying. As much as he would love to he simply couldn’t. 

“I have to find my friend.” He sighed, looking sadly down at his plate. “I’ve already left it too long.” 

Gerard sighed and nodded. He had been expecting the answer but it still disappointed him. He supposed he shouldn’t begrudge Frank for leaving, he was worried about his friend and for all Gerard knew his friend really was in danger. But then he was worried about Frank himself. The guy obviously wasn’t normal, he knew hardly anything about the world in general and Gerard knew he didn’t have a place to go to.

“Well…” Gerard bit his lip, hesitating a moment before he continued speaking. “I could always come with you to find your friend… Help you ask around, file a missing persons report, stuff like that. And then you could just… stay here.” Gerard blushed at the offer, hoping Frank didn’t think he was some kind of creep asking him to live with him for a time. But Gerard just really wanted to be sure he would be okay, and besides, he liked the company. 

Frank looked at Gerard, surprised by the offer but though he knew he should immediately refuse it something in him made him hesitant. He had enjoyed the last twenty four hours so much, and he wanted to continue learning how to paint and about Gerard and all about the human world in general. If only he could know that Jamia was okay, then he could stay a little.

“Gerard… Look I… Thank you but –”

“I know we hardly know each other.” Gerard quickly cut him off, speaking fast and even rambling a little in his haste. “But I mean, if I was a murderer or whatever I’d have done it by now right?” He chuckled, before blushing deeply at that and wincing at his own stupidity. “Uh, and murderer’s wouldn’t be stupid enough to say that.” He added, laughing nervously but Frank only continued to smile softly at him. 

“I just… I’m really worried that if you go out there you’ll end up hurt or on the streets or whatever. I mean Frank, you’re such a nice guy but from what I’ve learnt about you I really don’t think you’re going to get far all by yourself. Please just let me help you, you’re not in my way or anything here and I’d actually really enjoy your company and I won’t annoy you or anything and I won’t expect any money just please. I won’t relax if I know you’re out there all alone.”

Gerard finally stopped rambling and shut his mouth, blushing as he gazed at Frank across the table. He got the distinct impression he’d just made a fool out of himself by practically begging a near stranger to live with him but he wouldn’t take his words back. He wanted Frank to stay, he had meant every word he said. 

Frank stared at Gerard in quiet amazement, not sure how to respond to all he’d said. He had only served in making his decision to leave even more painful, and Frank couldn’t help now but wonder what would happen if he did stay. He didn’t know how long he had left before he would completely lose the ability to get his tail back, and of course Jamia needed him. Even with Gerard helping him look for her, even if they did find her, Frank would still only have limited time to stay here. 

Gerard watched Frank with baited breath as he waited to hear whether he would stay or not. He really hoped he would; he understood he needed to find his friend but Gerard really did have no problem in helping him find her. 

“Gerard I…” Frank trailed off, hesitating. He didn’t know what he wanted to say… He wanted to stay with Gerard, he really did, but there were so many reasons why he shouldn’t and not any to why he should other than he wanted to. “Gerard, look I… You’ve already been so kind to me I couldn’t –”

“No, don’t say you can’t.” Gerard quickly interrupted him, his eyes open and almost vulnerable looking. Gazing at him was making Frank’s heart race. “I’ve told you, I want you to stay. If you say no just be honest, don’t give me any story about not wanting to be in the way or take any more of my hospitality or anything like that.”

Frank sighed and just stared at Gerard for a moment, not knowing what to say to that. He looked down at his plate of half eaten pancakes and then back at Gerard’s handsome face, his heart missing a beat as he gave in and nodded. 

“Alright, I’ll stay. If… If you’re sure it’s no trouble.” Immediately Frank felt sick for agreeing, his fear and nerves rushing into him in one fell swoop. What was he doing? He couldn’t stay in the human world. But he knew he wasn’t going to change his mind. This might be the only chance he had to do anything like this, he didn’t want to go back into the sea and end up living his life just doing the same things he had always done. In the past twenty four hours he had already had the best time of his life and he hadn’t even done anything. He couldn’t miss this opportunity. 

Gerard’s face immediately lit up at Frank’s answer, his happiness so clear that it helped Frank relax a little. 

“Of course it’s no trouble Frank! I’d love for you to stay a while.” Gerard beamed, wanting to spring up and grab the younger man to hug him tightly but he restrained himself, not wanting to frighten him away.

“Thanks.” Frank smiled softly, blushing a little and feeling a little thrill inside knowing that he was going to be staying here a little longer. He was going to be able to eat all the delicious food and sleep in that amazing bed and get to know so much more about this world he found himself in. “I… I don’t know how long I’ll be here for, but really not much more than a few days.” He added, though it was clear in his voice he didn’t feel much conviction in that so Gerard easily nodded his agreement. As long as they didn’t put a fixed number on it then Frank could still end up staying for any amount of time.

“Well, like I said, it’s really no trouble so stay as long as you like.” Gerard smiled warmly, finally digging into his pancake and feeling much chirpier now he knew that Frank would be staying. “We can get straight out looking for your friend today too if you like. We can go to the police –”

“No!” Frank quickly cut across him, blushing when Gerard looked at him in surprise and Frank took a quick gulp of his coffee to give him time to think up a reason for his refusal. They had always been taught in their lessons that if you found yourself on land things like the police and doctors had to be avoided at all costs. Though they could help in emergencies consulting with them could risk the species and Frank didn’t want to end up making his situation any worse than it already was. “I just um… I don’t think they’ll be able to help.” He blushed, Gerard staring at him for a moment.

At first Gerard found his insistence in not speaking to the police a little suspicious, but he couldn’t believe Frank was in any trouble with them. Maybe he was just a great actor and Gerard was being naïve, but the younger man was just too sweet to have broken the law. But then he reasoned, Frank didn’t exactly know anything that could help the police. He had no information he could give them and he probably wouldn’t understand half of their questions so Gerard supposed it was probably easier for everyone if filing a missing persons report was left for now.

“Alright.” He conceded, nodding his head and making Frank sigh with relief. “At least we know she hasn’t been seriously hurt at all.” He said as gently as he could, Frank looking at him curiously. 

“How can you know that?”

“Well it would have been on the news.” Gerard told him, as if it were obvious. “You said you were separated when you were swimming right? Well if your friend had been hurt or, God forbid, killed, then she would have been found by now and it would have been put on the local news so someone who knows her could be located.” Gerard turned to nod at a newspaper resting on the counter beside the kettle, Frank looking at it curiously. “I went out and bought that this morning to check, but there’s been no news of anyone being found at all, so she must be fine. She either wasn’t hurt at all and is looking for you, or she was rescued by someone like you were by me.” 

“Oh…” Frank had to admit he did feel a little better knowing that. At least he didn’t have to fear she had been seriously hurt. Unless she had been and she simply hadn’t been found yet, but Gerard sounded like he knew what he was talking about. The only problem was if she was just as worried about Frank as he was over her. He didn’t want her to be worried about him, he needed to find her so he could let her know he was okay. “Well… We could just take a look around town I guess?” Frank suggested, not sure if that was a good idea or not. He didn’t really know how to begin searching for Jamia.

“Sure, it wouldn’t hurt to scout around. Especially by the harbour.” Gerard nodded, happy to try anything just as long as he it meant Frank was prepared to stay with him. “We could ask around as well, see if anyone’s seen her.” He added, Frank nodding thoughtfully. 

“Alright.” He agreed, sure that Gerard knew more than he did about this kind of thing, though Frank knew he ought to go back into the sea. He knew that if he just went in but didn’t submerge the entirety of his body he would get his tail and still be able to have his legs return when he went back on land. However, just swimming across the surface of the water wasn’t going to help him find Jamia or alert the other merpeople to the situation at hand.

Worrying over what to do was making Frank feel a little sick but he pushed himself to finish his breakfast, not wanting to seem rude after Gerard had even given him extra. He had to believe that everything would work out in the end, besides, everyone in the town would know that he and Jamia hadn’t returned by now so they must be doing something to find them, perhaps there were search parties already looking for Jamia, and Frank shouldn’t let himself feel so pressured.

Comforted by this thought, convinced it must be the case, Frank managed to dispel some of his fear and return to his chirpy self as he finished his pancakes and coffee, Gerard then coming over to remove his bandage for him. 

“We’ll go straight out once we’ve dressed if you want.” Gerard suggested, tenderly unravelling the bandage around Frank’s head. “Or you can shower first.” 

Frank knew the shower to be one of the things in the bathroom. He had asked about it the night before when talking to Gerard and learning about the different things in his apartment. Gerard had assumed the questioning had been on how to turn the shower on, and not that Frank didn’t know what it was, and so had taken Frank into the bathroom to show him which things to switch and turn in order to turn on the water and change the temperature. From this Frank had been able to work out it was used to cleanse humans.

“I uh… Would you mind if I showered later?” Frank asked softly, not immensely wanting to end up going into the shower right then when he knew the water would cause his tail to come back. Gerard only chuckled and nodded, smirking at Frank as he unravelled the last of the bandage and turned to throw it into the bin.

“Course not. Treat this place as if it were your own, shower whenever you want.” He chuckled, turning back to examine the cut to Frank’s head and check that it was fine. “You might want extra time to wash your hair anyway since this cut is gonna be tender for a while. But it doesn’t need stitches; you’re lucky.” Gerard smiled warmly at Frank, the younger man instinctively smiling back up at him. 

There was something about the way Gerard was standing over Frank then that Frank enjoyed. He could smell the human, a strange, warm scent that he had never had the pleasure to inhale before. He was also emitting heat, something merpeople didn’t do and Frank just wanted to wrap himself in Gerard’s arms and feel that heat all around him. 

“Thanks Gerard.” Frank sighed, getting to his feet when Gerard stood back for him to do so. He gingerly lay his fingers over where he had cut his head, feeling how bad it was but though it hurt to touch it was fine when he left it alone. “I’ll um… I’ll go get dressed then?” He offered, Gerard nodding as he smiled at him.

“Yep. I’ll meet you back in here once you’re ready.” He suggested, watching Frank walk away with a soft smile before he got busy tidying away the breakfast things and washing up. He supposed they really ought to go out and buy Frank some new clothes whilst he was here, he was a lot shorter than Gerard and couldn’t keep borrowing his clothes; but Gerard didn’t think Frank had any money and he certainly didn’t have enough to go buying another person a wardrobe. He would just have to see how his next few pieces of art sold. He was sure he had managed to break through his block now.

It didn’t take long before Frank was joining Gerard again, fully dressed now and raring to go. Gerard could tell he was anxious to get searching so he finished the washing up in a rush and then the two men left the apartment, off to the harbour to being their hunt.

*

Jamia glanced over her shoulder, checking that no one was around before she turned and swam as quickly as she could away from the town. She had spent hours being fussed over by all sorts of people, her cuts and bruises getting tended to before she was given orders to rest. But how could she when she had no idea where Frank was or if he was safe?

Jamia had been worried and restless, waiting for the mermen to return to hear if they had found Frank or not. When she saw that only Jake and David had come back her worries instantly increased, and when she had heard them explain about not finding Frank and Bob wanting to go to the surface she had known instantly she had to join him.

A meeting was now being held to discuss whether it was necessary to send someone after Bob or whether to just leave him to get on with it. They were worried for the town as a whole, scared Bob going on land would somehow cause them to be found, but then others argued that Bob had been to the surface before and knew how to keep them all safe. Whilst the debate was going on Jamia had left, eager to get to Bob and out of the water before anyone could try to stop them. 

Once she was clear of the town Jamia picked up the pace, swimming as fast as he could in the direction she hoped the harbour was in. Her body was still aching from being buffeted around by the storm but she pushed the pain out of mind; Frank was more important. 

For a time Jamia wasn’t sure she was heading in the right direction, but as soon as she saw anchor chains and fishing nets she knew she had come to the right place. A chill wormed its way down her spine and she shuddered, looking around anxiously for Bob. She hoped he hadn’t gone up to the surface already, and she began calling his name as she swam slowly through the maze of ropes and chains.

Bob heard her calling him almost immediately and he swam in the direction of her voice. At first he was sure he must be imagining it, but sure enough there was Jamia swimming right at him.

“Jamia? What are you doing here?” He frowned, sure that she was supposed to be resting. He took hold of her hands on instinct when she sailed towards him, her hair drifting behind her from the speed she had been swimming out but once she slowed down it fanned out around her.

“I heard you were going to the surface to look for Frank and I want to come with you.” Jamia was feeling breathless but she wasted no time in telling Bob what she was doing there. “I can’t rest knowing he’s not home, I have to help you.” She said strongly, frowning at Bob and making it clear how stubborn she was going to be if he tried to convince her not to go; but Bob had never been the type to tell a woman she couldn’t help.

“Do the others know you’ve come here?” He asked calmly, knowing that if she disappeared again it would only cause more panic. Jamia blushed but shook her head, glancing away for a moment before holding Bob’s gaze again.

“They’re holding a meeting right now about whether to send someone to stop you. We can’t waste any time. I came here as quickly as I could.” She told him bluntly, Bob frowning to hear that. It wasn’t exactly a surprise, but now Jamia wanted to come with him he was even more determined to go looking for Frank. He knew they were probably going to cause a lot of worry but in the end he sighed and nodded. 

“Alright, we better get going then.” 

Jamia grinned at Bob and flung her arms around his neck, hugging him tight and thanking him before they swam towards the harbour wall to find a safe place to go up to the land and start searching for Frank.


	5. Chapter five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bob and Jamia are caught in an awkward situation, and Gerard is starting to grow suspicious about Frankie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everyone please check out this amazing piece of art Liva made for this story http://livawhatever.deviantart.com/art/feels-like-drowning-370861329  
> Its so beautiful and the first piece of 'fanart' I've ever received!

“So, where do you want to start?” Gerard looked at Frank with a warm smile, stood with him outside the apartment block in the bright sunshine of another summer’s day. All evidence of there ever being a storm had vanished, the town once again baking in the heat. Summer storms were not uncommon here, but the one that had brought Frank to the town would probably be the last of the summer. 

“I… Where do you think would be best?” Frank asked back, gazing around in quiet amazement through the sunglasses Gerard had lent him. Due to the hot weather Gerard had given him a pair of cut-off jeans to wear, the material ending at his knee. Frank quite liked the feeling of having his legs exposed, and the sun pouring over them made him feel warm and happy. He almost didn’t want to look for Jamia in favour of just sitting somewhere and watching the humans walk about.

Gerard shrugged in response to Frank’s question and looked about for a moment, as if the answer would suddenly appear before him. “Well…” He said slowly, running a hand through his hair. “I guess we could start at the harbour since that’s where I found you.” He offered, though he wasn’t sure what he expected to find there. 

Frank nodded and agreed without question since he had no better ideas himself, smiling as he followed Gerard across the street and then down the road. He chatted to the older man brightly, but kept at least one step behind him at all times so that he could watch the way his body moved as he walked. Frank found the movement of his legs fascinating, though he couldn’t stare too long before he became conscious of his own walking method and would begin to feel like he was stumbling. When that happened he would gladly move his gaze to Gerard’s backside instead, enjoying watching that even more. Frank wasn’t even sure what it was that made him like it so much… but he really did.

Every now and then Gerard would glance over his shoulder at Frank and smirk when he’d catch him looking. He tried not to make it clear that he was aware of Frank’s gaze, not wanting to make the younger man shy away from doing it. Gerard found it flattering that Frank wanted to watch him, though he tried not to get his hopes up over what it might mean. 

“Since it’s a nice day we could have lunch out if you wanted.” He suggested as they walked towards the harbour. “It might be nice to sit outside somewhere.” He shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal, but he really hoped Frank would say yes. He knew it was important they found his friend or at least made sure she was safe, but Gerard really wanted to spend more time getting to know Frank; The sun was shining and it truly was a beautiful day, Gerard just wanted to spend at least a little of it relaxing with the strange man that had appeared in his life.

“Sit outside somewhere?” Frank repeated, grinning widely at Gerard when he paused to look at him. “I’d really like that!” He beamed, his enthusiasm all too clear. Gerard couldn’t help but grin back at him, thrilled to see that Frank had liked his suggestion and his heart gave a small flutter in his chest. 

“Great. I’ll take you to lunch later then.” He grinned, adding a flirtatious wink that made his heart race but Frank only continued smiling warmly at him, clearly oblivious to the flirting. Gerard sighed but smiled softly, gesturing for Frank to come and walk beside him as they carried on their way. 

He was still trying to get used to the younger man, not entirely sure what he understood and what he didn’t. But he could tell Frank was trying to get used to everything too. Though he chattered away casually Gerard was not oblivious to the way he gazed around with great interest, taking everything in as if he had never really seen any of it before. Gerard wished he knew where he had come from, if Frank would just tell him a little more about his past maybe he’d have a better idea of how to help him.

The walk to the harbour wasn’t long, Gerard had deliberately made sure he lived close to it when he had been looking for an apartment to rent. He loved the sea and he had the same romantic notion of most people who lived inland, that moving to the coast would somehow make him feel more inspired. Although it hadn’t exactly worked at first, he was feeling much more inspired since his painting session with Frank, and he didn’t regret his move to the coast one bit. Even if it hadn’t proved to be the muse he had hoped it would, it was still incredibly beautiful and walking along the harbour always made him feel better even if it didn’t give him any inspiration.

Frank stepped closer to Gerard as they started to walk along the harbour path, the area busy and full of people already. The sunny day had brought everyone flocking to the sea front and Frank stared about in amazement and intrigue at the many men who wandered around shirtless, and the women who wore nothing but shorts and bikini tops, leaving most of their flesh exposed. 

The harbour was alive with noise and energy, through the crowds children darted about, laughing and screaming as they played. Frank had never seen anything like it. The town he lived in was small, merpeople didn’t live in high populations like humans did and seeing so many people was making Frank both nervous and excited. 

Gerard glanced at the younger man and smiled, gently placing his arm around his waist to keep him close when he sensed some tension. He wasn’t a huge fan of crowds either, but he had expected the harbour to be busy on such a bright day. Frank relaxed into his hold, smiling gratefully at him and tucking himself closer to his side as they moved slowly through the throngs of people along the harbour wall.

Gerard gazed about attentively, looking for anything that might help him find Frank’s friend. He doubted they’d have much luck on such a busy day though, the only way they could find her here is if she showed up and Frank spotted her, but Gerard didn’t know how likely that was.

“Do you remember where exactly you lost your friend?” Gerard asked Frank gently, the younger man also staring around with an intent gaze.

“Mm… Over here.” Frank took hold of Gerard’s hand and began to lead him through the crowds of people, gazing around all the while. Gerard followed obediently, mostly watching Frank as he hurried alongside the harbour wall. 

“We were just out there.” Frank stopped suddenly and turned to point out into the harbour, indicating a spot near a boat which he remembered being close to just before the storm became too much and he was thrown inland. “She could have gone anywhere, the waves were huge.” He sighed, placing his hands on the wall and leaning over to gaze at the green water below. His brow furrowed as worry hit him; being here and remembering the storm was making him fear even more for Jamia. He wished he could know that she was okay.

“Well, I found you just over there.” Gerard turned and pointed a little further up the path where a concrete bench was stood, it had people sitting on it then but when Gerard had come to the harbour the morning he had found Frank there had been no one else around to see his naked body beneath the concrete. “If Jamia was thrown out of the water too then she wouldn’t have been too far, but she would have been found by someone by now of course.”

“Of course.” Frank nodded his agreement, still staring down into the water. It was becoming increasingly obvious that they had no chance of finding Jamia here. She wouldn’t still be on the harbour three days after the storm. “What should we do?”

Gerard turned to look at Frank then, watching him lean over the wall and wondering himself what their next step should be. He didn’t have any idea of where Jamia could be or how to find her, their only hope was to file a missing persons report and get the word spread around so everyone could look for her, but Gerard knew Frank didn’t want to get the police involved. 

“I can’t lie to you Frank, I really don’t know what we should do.” Gerard sighed honestly, looking sadly at Frank as he slid down from the wall and turned to face Gerard. He didn’t look surprised to hear that the older man was as lost as he was, but his expression was still saddened. 

“I can’t give up on her…” He said slowly, bowing his head and staring down at his new, human feet. “I have to find her and make sure she’s okay.”

“I understand.” Gerard said softly, stepping closer to Frank and gently touching his shoulder. He wished he could comfort him somehow, he wished he was better at knowing what to do. He was worried about Jamia too, he didn’t like to think that anyone had drowned in the storm, but he was beginning to wonder if that was what had happened. 

“Look,” He sighed, forcing a smile and tilting Frank’s face up to look at him. “We won’t give up okay? We haven’t even been out an hour, we can’t lose hope just because we didn’t find her in the first place we looked. I mean, we knew she wouldn’t be here really, didn’t we?” 

Frank gazed at Gerard for a moment before he smiled, relaxing slightly and giving a small nod. Gerard spoke sense, and hearing him say that they would keep looking did make Frank feel better. At least he didn’t have to do this on his own, at least he had a friend. He hoped that Jamia was safe, and that perhaps she had met someone just as friendly too. 

“I guess…” Frank sighed, smiling softly and tiptoeing up to hug Gerard quickly. He didn’t know why but it just felt like the right thing to do. When Gerard wrapped his arms around his waist in return and squeezed gently it just further confirmed in Frank’s mind that it had been a good move and he sank against the older man’s chest with a contented sigh. Gerard’s arms felt good around him, firm and warm and secure. Frank had never felt better. 

“Thank you Gerard…”

“Hey, don’t thank me yet.” Gerard chuckled quietly, smiling as he squeezed Frank for a second before letting him go. “Thank me when we’ve found your friend okay?”

“Okay.” Frank grinned, taking hold of Gerard’s hand again as they turned to keep walking. All they could do was search the town around the harbour and hope that some news would appear that would help them find Jamia.

*

Jamia kept close to Bob as they left the police station, tears still in her eyes and her hands still shaking. She was being swamped by an over large police gym shirt, Bob in a matching one along with a pair of shorts each that the cops had lent them. Jamia didn’t think she had ever been so afraid in her life, and as they stepped out into the bright sunlight she wanted nothing more than to be back in the ocean.

She and Bob had left the water in the dead of the night, creeping up onto the shore and waiting for their legs to appear before sneaking onto the harbour wall together. Jamia had been clinging to Bob’s arm to keep upright, unused to human legs and feeling sick with nerves at the whole strange situation. They had been looking for a place to go where they might find some clothes and a place to stay for the night when the police car had appeared at the side of the road and they’d been taken to the station.

Jamia knew that humans didn’t walk around naked, as did Bob, but they hadn’t had much choice. She certainly hadn’t known it was illegal and she had been incredibly frightened as they were arrested and taken to the station. 

The police had been kind to them, but it had done nothing to stem Jamia’s anxiety. They had wrapped them in blankets until they could find clothes for them, and then had kept them over night in separate cells. It was only thanks to Bob that they had been released that morning. They had been charged with indecent exposure but when it had come to filling out the forms and they had been unable to offer any information other than their names it was only by Bob telling them that they were homeless that they had avoided some serious questioning.

The police had given them hot drinks and food that morning before handing them an address for a homeless shelter and then sending them on their way. Bob had tucked the piece of paper with the address on into one of his pockets, telling Jamia it might come in useful later on if they ended up stuck for a place to sleep.

Jamia didn’t really want to go anywhere where it might mean interacting with more humans. She had already decided she disliked the creatures, and she hated being one even more. She couldn’t get used to her legs and she kept tripping and stumbling whenever Bob walked too fast. The sunlight was too bright and the buildings too large. She felt heavy and clumsy and every little thing terrified her… the human world was lively and noisy and she didn’t like it. 

“Oh Bob…” She sighed, stepping closer to him and clinging to his arm with tears in her eyes. “I hope Frank is okay. What a horrible place this is.” She whimpered, shying away from any person they passed.

Bob sighed and nodded, patting Jamia’s hand in what he hoped was a reassuring manner though mostly he wasn’t listening. He had come to the human world to mate as all merpeople did, but he hadn’t ventured on land like this before. He was nervous himself but he wasn’t as afraid as Jamia. He understood that all they had to do was adapt and try to act like the humans did and they’d be fine. Their main problem at that moment though was knowing where to start looking for Frank.

“I can’t stand this.” Jamia continued to complain, her grip on Bob’s arm tight. “I don’t understand anything that’s going on.”

“Just ignore it then.” Bob snapped, stopping and frowning at Jamia. He didn’t mean to get angry at her, but he had had no sleep that night and he was nervous about how they were supposed to find Frank. He was worried about him and he didn’t want to have to be worrying about Jamia too. “You said you wanted to come with me and here we are, we’re looking for Frank so just concentrate on that and stop worrying.”

Jamia looked at Bob in quiet surprise, her eyebrows raised and tears building in her eyes. She could understand why he had snapped but she still slowly released his arm and stepped back to give him some space. She hadn’t meant to anger him, she hadn’t realised how much she had been whining and she sighed as she bowed her head. 

“I’m sorry.” She whispered meekly, staring down at her feet and just wishing she was back in the ocean. “I just… I’m just really scared for Frank.”

Bob sighed and felt a stirring of guilt in his chest. He hesitated a moment before gently taking Jamia’s arm and hooking it around his own again. He hadn’t meant to upset her, he supposed being on land was just making them both act out of character. 

“It’s fine… I’m sorry too.” He said gently, forcing a smile and trying to relax. “We’ll find him okay? I’m sure of it.” Bob tried to sound like he meant it, though deep down he wasn’t even sure that Frank was here let alone that they would find him if he was. But he had to be positive for both their sakes.

Jamia smiled warmly and nodded, feeling better at Bob’s words and she squeezed his arm gently. “Let’s get searching for him then.” She suggested, Bob forcing a smile as he nodded too and they began to continue walking down the street. It was clear the only thing they could do was roam about the area and hope they would see something that would take them to Frank.

*

Frank sighed as he sat down with Gerard at a small, round table and turned his gaze to the harbour to stare out at the sea. 

The two men had spent the morning walking around town searching anywhere there might be a sign of Jamia’s whereabouts. They had been to the local hospital and a few cheap motels. They had considered the police station but Frank had shook his head at the idea when Gerard had reminded him would mean having to get the police involved. They had walked down every street and asked around the pubs near the harbour but no one could help them.

They had now stopped for lunch as Gerard had promised they would. He had taken Frank back to the harbour to sit outside a traditional tavern style pub restaurant with homemade food and an outdoor seating area that looked out at the boats. The sky was still cloudless and the day should have been something really special, but Gerard couldn’t relax when he could see Frank was growing increasingly more worried throughout the day. 

“Hey…” He forced a smile and gently touched Frank’s hand after they had ordered their food and were left with their drinks. “We’re gonna find her okay?” He promised him softly, Frank forcing a smile as he nodded though it was clear he was starting to lose hope.

Frank looked at Gerard’s handsome face for a long moment before simply sighing and turning his face away to look out over the boats instead. He moved his hand out from beneath Gerard’s and idly stirred the ice cubes in his glass with his straw. He had never seen ice cubes before, but he wasn’t interested in them when he was so worried for Jamia.

As he stared out over the ocean he wondered if she had somehow made it back to the town and was actually perfectly safe. He wished he had some way of knowing. He was discovering more and more about the humans as time passed and had found out about telephones and cell phones. He wished the merpeople had something like that, how useful it would be to be able to simply dial a number and have Jamia speaking to him, telling him if she was alright.

Gerard sighed as he watched Frank staring at the sea and felt his heart twist in sadness. He wished he could be more helpful but there was nothing more he could do. He had promised they would carry on searching after lunch but if they didn’t go to the police then Gerard doubted they would ever find the lost woman.

He slid his hand away from where it was still resting next to Frank’s, sensing that the younger man just wanted to be alone with his thoughts right then. Gerard was glad that he had decided to pick up a newspaper on their travels. He had wondered if it might help them and he decided to read it whilst they waited for their food so that the silence didn’t feel so awkward. 

Gerard skipped past the first few pages, blushing slightly as he flicked the page over with the page three girl on and hoped no one had seen it. He had picked a paper that would be more gossip than actual news stories in the hope it would have some kind of article on a woman seen wandering around lost or something. He wasn’t expecting to find much, if anything at all, and he mostly just skimmed through each page so that he would look like he was doing something.

After only a few minutes though Gerard turned the page and immediately his gaze was drawn to a blurry, camera photo of a naked couple strolling down the harbour. He raised his eyebrows in surprise and leant closer, trying to make out the couple more clearly. It was obviously a man and a woman, but the resolution was so bad not much could be seen other than the fact they were wearing no clothes whatsoever and that it was night time.

Gerard’s heart began to race as he looked to the caption beneath it. The story was small, only a small column down the side of the page but Gerard read it extra slowly, digesting each word carefully before he gasped. 

“Frankie! Frank listen to this!” He hissed, Frank glanced at him in confusion before turning properly as Gerard spread the paper out on the table and indicated the photograph. “Do you think this could be your friend?” Gerard asked, looking anxiously at Frank’s face as he leant close and squinted at the picture. Gerard wasn’t sure if Frank knew how to read or not so he read the article for him. 

“Look, it says: At roughly midnight last night a naked couple were seen walking the length of the harbour at Southport. The man and woman, as yet unnamed, were witnessed by a taxi driver on the way home of his last shift. The driver, Mr Graybell, took this picture on his camera phone and alerted the police. As of yet all that is known is that the police came to the sight and arrested the couple but have released no statement.” 

Gerard looked at Frank with hope in his eyes, wondering if this could be the lead they needed. Frank had been naked the night Gerard found him too, maybe his friend had gone swimming again with a different man and had been caught this time.

Frank stared at the grainy photograph, biting his lip gently. His heart was pounding as he took in the picture, certain that it was Jamia though he was unable to make out her facial features. It was difficult to be certain when she had legs, and he hadn’t been expecting to see her with another man.

“I…” Frank hesitated before slowly laying his hand across the bottom of the picture in order to cover up the legs of the couple. As soon as he had he was sure that he was right. “I think it’s her.” He breathed, hope igniting in him. “I think she’s with Bob.” 

“Bob?” Gerard repeated, looking at the man in the photo, his legs still covered by Frank’s hand though Gerard didn’t see what covering their legs would do. “The guy?”

“Yeah… He’s a friend.” Frank nodded, smiling as he continued to stare at the photo and felt more and more certain the longer he looked. “It is… It’s definitely them.” He insisted, happiness clear in his voice and Gerard grinned, relief pouring through him. 

“Really?” He beamed, Frank nodding as he slid his hand off the paper and looked to Gerard with a wide grin. “Well… Thank God, at least we know they’re not hurt.” Gerard sighed happily, picking up the paper and closing it. “All we’ll need to do now is go to the police and say that we know them and ask where they are and that’s it.”

“Yeah?” Frank smiled softly, though a tinge of worry started to cloud his happiness. “Well I… Now we know they’re okay I guess we don’t have to do that.” He said softly, blushing when Gerard looked at him in confusion.

Frank had been worried for Jamia because he hadn’t known where she was or if she was hurt or safe or who she was with… Now he knew that she was unhurt and with Bob no less he no longer had any reason to worry about her. It was clear the only reason they were on land was to look for him, and though Frank felt guilty about making them worry he didn’t want them to find him. They would want to make him return to the ocean straight away and he wanted to spend more time with Gerard first. 

“You don’t want to go look for them?” Gerard asked in response to Frank’s words, his eyes full of shock. “But… But Frank we can be with them by the end of the day if we go to the police straight after lunch. It’s really no trouble I don’t mind at all I –”

“Thank you but…” Frank cut Gerard off before falling quiet himself, not quite sure what to say to make it seem acceptable that he was abandoning his friends. “I just… Now I know they’re okay I don’t have to worry about them.” He explained quietly, looking to Gerard with a small smile. “And if I do see them, they’ll want me to go home with them right away and I… I don’t want to go home yet.”

Frank whispered the words so quietly that at first Gerard wasn’t sure he had heard him right. He looked at him with a small confused smile for a moment, biting his lip as he let that sink in. He still wished that he knew where home was for Frank exactly, but he knew that even if he asked Frank wouldn’t tell him. 

“I… I see.” Gerard said slowly, biting his lip as he gazed into Frank’s hazel eyes and felt his insides melting. It was ridiculous and cliché to feel like he was falling for a man he hardly knew, but if Frank wanted to stay with him a while then he certainly wasn’t going to complain. “So you… You want to um… You wanna stay with me for a bit?” He asked quietly, hoping he had interpreted Frank’s meaning correctly. 

Frank smiled warmly at Gerard and nodded, his heart missing a beat though he wasn’t sure why. “If you don’t mind…” He said softly, not wanting to intrude or take advantage of Gerard’s hospitality at all. But he had been under the impression that Gerard wanted him to stay too. “I’d like to get to know you more and… Maybe I can help you paint some more.”

Gerard’s eyes lit up as he smiled warmly, nodding and feeling just completely… seduced. He had never felt like this around anyone before and he wasn’t sure how it could be happening now; but he did know that he wanted Frank to stay. 

“I would like that.” He nodded, his voice dropping to a soft whisper. “I’d really like that…”

Frank grinned and nodded, going to say that he would like it too when they were interrupted by the waitress bringing their food. Frank blushed but smiled warmly, thanking her softly when Gerard did before he turned his eyes onto the plate of food in front of him. His eyes widened at the amount and his mouth watered at the delicious, new smells. He had read the menu but hadn’t really known what any of the food was except for all the types of fish they sold. He hadn’t been sure he wanted to eat fish though… Merpeople did, they hunted for food just like humans used to, but Frank had never eaten fish cooked before… 

In the end Gerard had ordered for him when he had seen him struggling, getting him the same thing he had – A ‘veggie’ burger. Frank had been utterly confused to what that was, but from reading the description he understood that it was meatless. He had heard about vegetarians before and wondered if Gerard was one. He didn’t really know what a meat burger looked like though so as far as he was concerned the concoction that had been placed in front of him looked nothing short of majestic.

“You want any salt and vinegar?” Gerard asked, smirking when he saw Frank staring in amazement at his plate. Gerard couldn’t understand how Frank was so oblivious to every day food, but he could tell that the younger man was a little embarrassed about it so he didn’t point it out. 

Frank looked at Gerard at the question, glancing at the items he was offering him. Frank knew what salt was alright, and he immediately took it. Maybe it would make his food taste more like the sea. He wasn’t so sure about vinegar but he had seen Gerard shaking it over his chips so he did the same. He just wanted to be normal, and the only way he knew how to be normal was by copying Gerard.

The scent of the vinegar was a shock to Frank and he almost choked at the sharp fumes that rose into his nostrils. He wrinkled his nose up and quickly put the bottle down back into the centre of the table where Gerard had picked it up from, pretending to be fine as he gingerly picked up a chip and looked at it.

Beside him Gerard was trying not to stare as he began eating his own food. Frank glanced at him and then looked away quickly, blushing fiercely when he realised Gerard was watching him. He could feel that the food was hot, burning his fingers as he held it and so he acted like Gerard and blew over it first before taking a small bite.

At first Frank wasn’t sure he liked it. The vinegar was sharp on his tongue and it made him wince, but as he chewed and the salt and the potato mixed with it he was introduced to the crunchy then fluffy texture of good homemade chips. He sighed in delight and smiled slowly, stuffing the rest of the chip into his mouth once he had swallowed the first bite and picking up another ready for round two. 

Gerard couldn’t help but laugh a little at Frank’s changing expressions and he smirked as he watched him. “Good?” He asked, Frank meeting his gaze and nodding eagerly.

“Mhmm… You humans have really good food.” He beamed, turning back to his plate to continue eagerly eating his chips one by one as Gerard continued to stare at him. 

Gerard’s smile had faded quickly and as he stared at Frank his face was a picture of confusion. He knew that Frank might have just had a weird vocabulary error or something, or maybe he had been trying to be ironic. But he had been speaking English as fluently as any other person in the town up until then and he had seemed to be deadly serious when he had used the term ‘humans’. 

Gerard frowned slightly as he tried to ignore what he had heard and carry on eating his own food, but though he chewed through his meal automatically he couldn’t stop replaying Frank’s words through his head… He had sounded almost as if he had meant he wasn’t a human himself, but that was just so ludicrous it would be ridiculous for Gerard to consider something like that.

But… wouldn’t it explain a lot? Wouldn’t it explain why Frank didn’t know about any food or what wine or coffee were, or why he had never painted before and why he had been found with no clothes and why he wouldn’t say where he was from… Gerard knew that he was something of a comic book nerd and that he had always let his imagination run away with him ever since he had been a child but Frank being something other than human just made _sense_.

Gerard idly picked up his burger and took a bite out of it, noticing how Frank waited to see how he ate it before he took picked it up with his hands and began to eat his own. He looked like he was in seventh heaven and he ‘mmm’d with every bite, gazing out over the ocean with a soft smile on his face. He looked content and happy and Gerard just couldn’t stop staring at him.

He knew he was probably reading way too much into what Frank had said and that he should just forget it as a freak occurrence. But… What if… Just _what if_ … Frank was an alien.

As soon as the thought had entered Gerard’s head he couldn’t banish it away again. It just made perfect sense and he almost dropped his burger in shock as he gazed at his younger companion. Maybe Frank wasn’t from around here… Maybe he wasn’t from Earth at all… Gerard had been heavily into sci-fi in his teen years and admittedly he had imagined countless times about what it would be like if aliens came to Earth… and okay admittedly he had had a few moments when he was young and horny and friendless when he had fantasised about seductive, incredibly attractive men coming down from space eager to learn all about humans and their ways… how they would go to Gerard for help and would end up falling for him and they would have kinky alien sex for days on end…

What if Frank was such an alien? He was incredibly attractive, and Gerard did feel a little seduced by him… 

Gerard didn’t realise he had stopped eating until Frank turned his gorgeous, honey eyes on him and raised his eyebrows questioningly. 

“Um… Are you okay?” He giggled, blushing at how Gerard was just staring at him, half eaten burger still in his hands. He looked as though he had just had an epiphany or something and when Frank spoke he jumped and blushed before smiling quickly and nodding. 

“Yeah! Yeah I’m fine.” He quickly grinned, going back to his food quickly as Frank raised an eyebrow at him. The younger man got the distinct impression that Gerard was having something of a ‘moment’ and he politely looked away and finished off his meal in case having a nervous breakdown was a common human occurrence.

Once both men had finished eating and the bill had been paid for Gerard offered to take Frank home. His heart was racing and he felt nervous as he gazed at him, unable to stop thinking about aliens and space and kinky sex. Frank only gazed at him with his sweet, innocent eyes and a calm smile on his face. 

“Can we paint some more when we get back?” He asked brightly, Gerard nodding with a soft smile as he tried not to undress Frank with his eyes. 

“Of course.” He smiled, offering Frank his hand again and feeling almost dizzy as they walked back to the apartment, Jamia and Bob completely forgotten about for both of them.


	6. Chapter six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The human world can prove heaven for some, but too much like hell for others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains some non-graphic masturbation, just a pre warning.

Jamia and Bob sat on the harbour wall, staring out at the sun setting over the ocean and saying nothing as they just got lost in their own thoughts. 

The two of them had been looking for Frank all day. They had walked around the town multiple times until their feet ached too much to carry on; they had plucked up the courage to ask a few people they passed if they had seen their friend, but they received not even a hint of where the young man could be.   
Jamia had already lost almost all hope. She didn't see how it would be possible for them to find Frank. The human world was just too big, there were just too many places to look and too many possibilities for what might have happened to Frank. He may be injured, or sick, or even dead and they'd have no way of knowing. 

Bob too was beginning to feel like they were simply going to have to give up. He didn't want to give up on Frank, that was the last thing he wanted, but he had to think of their own safety too. He hadn't been up on land for this long before and so much had happened already. The run in with the police had left them both shaken and Bob knew that they only had limited time before they would be unable to get their tails back, though he had no idea what the time limit was. Perhaps it would simply just be better to return to the sea.

"Jamia, listen..." He sighed, turning his head to look at the young woman as she stared with glazed eyes out at the sea. "I... I think we should go home."

Jamia turned to stare at Bob with calm, saddened eyes. The blonde's words were not unexpected, and deep down Jamia wanted nothing more than to return to the world they came from and simply tell everyone that they had been unable to find Frank. But letting go of her best friend was not so easy. 

"But you said we wouldn't give up on him Bob... We can't give up on him." She mewled, tears building in her eyes at the thought. She knew in her heart that it was hopeless, and that nothing she said now was going to change Bob's mind or bring Frank back. "He's my best friend..."

"He's my best friend too." Bob nodded, sighing as he bowed his head and ran a hand through his hair. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, feeling sick with stress and just wishing that he knew what to do. He didn't want to go back to the sea and leave Frank behind, but he couldn't think of anywhere that they could go that they hadn't already tried.

"I just... I don't see what we can do Jay." He sighed sadly, slowly turning his gaze back to Jamia. "I hate to say it but we've looked _everywhere_. I don't know where else we can go."

"There must be somewhere..." Jamia whispered, struggling to swallow the lump in her throat. "Bob there _must_ be. Frank wouldn't give up on us, we shouldn't give up on him." 

Bob sighed and shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut again and just taking a moment to try and assess his thoughts. He wanted desperately to agree not to give up and carry on searching but it all just seemed so pointless. He supposed it had been naive of him really; to believe that if he came to the land then he would find Frank with no problem. He hadn't considered that the town would be so big or that trying to navigate the human world could be so difficult. He certainly couldn't see how Frank would be able to survive it on his own if he really was here, and he quietly told Jamia so as they sat on the wall.

"Frank is a smart guy Jay, but I don't know... If he washed up onto the shore because of the storm and he wasn't captured or hurt the only thing that would make sense is that he would have returned to the sea." Bob shrugged and looked back out at the waves, nodding slowly. "He wouldn't have stayed on land if he had any other choice, and so that tells me he's either not here or he's not in a position that he can come back..."

"You mean... He's hurt." Jamia said slowly, feeling a pain in her chest that made it difficult to breathe. Bob's words caused her to imagine Frank lying in some human's home, covered in cuts and bruises and barely holding onto life. She imagined the human torturing him and experimenting on him, imagined him slipping slowly away from them and she couldn't stop the tears from dripping down her cheeks. 

"We need to save him Bob, I can't lose him... I just can't."

"Shh, I know." Bob shuffled closer to Jamia and gently wrapped his arms around her. "I know..." He sighed, closing his eyes and resting his cheek against the woman's soft hair as he held her in his strong arms and tried his best to comfort her. 

Jamia turned her head and buried her face into Bob's broad chest, crying softly. She knew there was nothing they could do. It simply wasn't possible for them to find Frank; but knowing that didn't make giving up any easier. 

"Listen..." Bob sighed, closing his eyes as he held Jamia gently. "There's no point in us staying here. If Frank is around then odds are we're not going to find him, but it’s more than likely that we'll end up getting into some sort of mess if we stay here in any longer. I really think we need to just go." 

Bob hated having to say it, he didn't want to give up on Frank any more than Jamia did. He could see now he had been naive to think that they could just come up on land and find their friend. He had endangered them both and now he had to do his best to remedy the situation and get them back to safety. He couldn't bring himself to regret his choice to come on land though, if he hadn't he would have always wondered whether he would have found Frank if he had.

"Let's just... go home." He sighed quietly, gently tilting Jamia's head up so she would look at him. "Do you think?"

Jamia sighed and stared sadly into Bob's eyes. Tears were still running slowly down her cheeks but she knew that the blonde spoke sense. The human world was frightening her and she felt constantly on edge, sitting on the harbour wall so close to the sea was making her ache to return home more than ever and she slowly nodded her agreement. 

"Alright." She croaked, her guilt crushing into her and consuming her. "Let’s go home." She breathed, her voice almost breaking. Bob nodded and smiled softly at her, though the pain was clear in his eyes too and he blinked away tears as he lent forward to kiss Jamia's forward. 

"We won't lose hope... He might find his way home one day." He whispered, referring to Frank. Jamia nodded, wanting to believe him, but as they stripped of their borrowed clothes and dropped down into the water below she knew that she was probably never going to see Frank again.

*

Frank was feeling incredible as he lounged on Gerard's sofa and watched the older man paint. Frank had joined him for a while, but he tired of it quicker than Gerard did, it only taking him a little while to finish his painting since his abilities were much lesser than Gerard's. Frank loved his painting though, but of course he adored Gerard's more. He found it astonishing that something so beautiful could be created by just a pair of hands and a brush. 

Gerard himself was quiet as he worked on his canvas, concentrating hard on the painting. It seemed like he was engrossed in his work, but his mind was still consumed by the theory he had created at the restaurant that afternoon. He supposed it was ridiculous and he was thinking too much about it, but try as he might he simply couldn't stop.

Frank was so different to anyone Gerard had met, and Gerard had gone to art college... he had met some pretty different people in his life. But Frank... Frank was something else. He had spent the rest of the afternoon and some of the evening chatting to the younger man, trying to learn more about him and figure him out, and the more Frank talked about himself the more convinced Gerard became that he really was very, very different indeed.

Gerard slowly stopped painting and turned to glance at Frank who was watching the TV with bright, interested eyes. He seemed to love the TV, no matter what show was playing he watched it avidly, looking astounded the whole time. Gerard felt it was fairly obvious that Frank had never seen a television before and this got his mind chewing over his theory even more. 

"Hey, I'll have this finished in about half an hour and then I'll shower and we can watch a movie. Do you want to shower first now before me?" 

Frank gave a soft 'hmm?' and turned his gaze away from the TV screen to look at Gerard instead. He tipped his head to the side with a curious smile, understanding that Gerard was referring to the device in the bathroom but not really knowing what his response should be. After a moment's consideration he nodded, guessing it would be best to agree with Gerard. The artist smiled and nodded back, beckoning for Frank to follow him as he walked to the bathroom.

"Cool, I'll you how to turn it on." He offered, Frank following him without a word. He looked curiously at the shower as Gerard switched it on, jumping slightly when the water began to run and hit the shower tray loudly before the drumming of the droplets against the plastic began a soothing, background noise. 

"So if you want to change the temperature you just turn this here, and the head is adjustable so you can lift it up and down and stuff." Gerard stepped back and looked into the shower for a moment, his hands on hips. "And I guess that's it. You can use that towel there, I'll just go get you some fresh clothes to wear." 

"Thanks." Frank smiled, turning to grin at Gerard and watch him leave the bathroom before he turned back to the shower and gazed curiously at it. He knew that its purpose was to clean people, and he had known sort of what it would do but it was still fascinating to see the tiny drops of water cascading down from the metal head. The steam that rose from it was even more fascinating and Frank gently moved his hand through the vapour to see how it felt.

The warmth coming from the water shocked Frank and his lips parted in surprise as he dipped his hand beneath the spray and then quickly pulled it back again with a giggle. The water was hot which was something of a surprise, and the beads of water tickled when they fell on Frank's palm. Together it created a myriad of new sensations and Frank couldn't wait to strip down and get into the cubicle.

"Here you are." Frank turned as Gerard came back, carrying a pair of sweatpants and a baggy t-shirt for Frank to wear after. "All the shampoos and stuff are just on the side there, use whatever you want." He told him, putting the clothes down on the closed toilet lid before smiling at Frank. "Okay?"

"Uh-huh, thank you Gerard." Frank smiled warmly, his eyes sparkling as he subtly checked out the older man's ass as he left the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

Once Gerard was gone Frank eagerly stripped out of his clothes and took a moment to stand in front of the mirror to inspect his body. He was still fascinated by his human form, and the genitals weren't looking too disgusting now he was growing used to them. He turned slowly and glanced over his shoulder so he could see the reflection of his backside, biting his lip as he hummed thoughtfully. It was an interesting looking thing, much more attractive than the front view. Frank slid a hand behind himself to squeeze one of the cheeks curiously, finding it to be soft and yet a little firm. As interesting as it all was, he still mostly just wanted to see Gerard's.

The steam from the shower soon had the mirror fogged up and Frank was forced to stop staring at himself. He looked at the mirror with raised eyebrows, not sure why he couldn't see into it anymore but he wasn't an idiot. He could understand that the fog filling the room must have something to do with it so he didn't think on it and instead turned and walked into the shower.

It took Frank a little while to pluck up the courage to stand fully under the shower head. At first he just let his hands into the fall of water, and then his arms and eventually his shoulders. He gasped and flapped his hands slightly at the strange sensation of being coated in hot water, tickling his flesh and making his skin tingle. It was nothing like being in the sea, and he found that the hot water was a true joy to feel on his skin.

As the shower poured down on him Frank quickly slid down onto his knees and then carefully slipped back onto his hands so that he could shift and sit down against one of the glass walls of the cubicle. He knew that getting his legs wet would cause his tail to return, and sure enough as he idly ran his hands through his hair and relished the warmth surrounding him he felt his legs beginning to fuse together.

Frank didn't fight the inevitable, he simply relaxed and watched with interest as his legs seemed to grow a membrane between them, attaching them, and then his feet began to lengthen. He could feel the bones inside disappearing, a not entirely pleasant sensation though it wasn't painful. 

Next came the scales, his toes still visible as his skin began to indent into neat rows of scales. His toes disappeared as his feet continued to stretch and become thinner, extending into his caudal fin as his dorsal and pelvic fins began to stretch from his skin. 

Frank had never seem the metamorphosis of his tail before having been unconscious when he got his legs, and his mouth gaped open in amazement at how smoothly and quickly it changed. It felt odd not being able to move his legs, his tail feeling numb and alien to him as the scales finished forming and turned black. The fins bled into their old deep red colour and Frank sighed as the feeling in his tail crept back until he was able to move it with ease. It suddenly felt as though he had never had legs.

Frank slowly sank against the wall again, letting the shower water patter over him as he stared at his tail stretched out in front of him. It was so long that the end had to fold up against the wall slightly, his caudal fin sticking to the wet glass. He looked odd even to himself, cramped into the little shower cubicle with his long fish tail. He wasn't sure he liked it; when he was in the sea he thought his tail looked beautiful, but here it just looked out of place.

Frank sighed and closed his eyes, idly flicking the end of his tail every now and then as he just enjoyed the flow of the water over his skin. He wondered what Gerard would do if he ever found out the truth about him. Frank knew the older man was probably aware he wasn't normal, as much as he was trying his hardest he wasn't exactly fitting in. The humans were just so much more complex than Frank had ever expected and their cultures and societal norms were not something he could easily pick up. He was incredibly lucky that Gerard was so good to him and didn't make a show of pointing out Frank's oddities, he was sure he must have some.

Thinking about Gerard reminded Frank that he had mentioned something about shampoo. Opening his eyes Frank looked up to the little inset into the wall where there was an array of multi-coloured bottles that Gerard had pointed out to him. Frank didn't know what shampoo was, but it must be in one of the bottles he reasoned.

Now that his tail was back it was difficult for Frank to stretch up and grab one of the bottles from the shelf. He pressed one hand to the wall and stretched his other arm up as high as he could, using the muscles in his tail to lift his body just enough to brush his fingers against one and knock it off the shelf into his lap.

Frank grinned and picked up the bottle, turning it over in his hands and reading the word 'shampoo' on the front. Intrigued Frank continued to inspect the object, wondering what he was supposed to do with it now. It took him a while before he started to read the small writing on the label on the back, but he was surprised and relieved when he discovered instructions for use.

After reading the instructions three times Frank carefully opened the lid and squeezed a small amount into the palm of his hand. He couldn't imagine what this was supposed to achieve but per the bottles directions he began to massage the liquid into his hair, raising his eyebrows as it lathered up and became bubbles in his hands.

Once again Frank was experiencing something he never had before and he grinned as he washed his hair, massaging his fingers against his scalp and letting the bubbles run down his face and neck, oblivious to what they could do as they got into his eyes and blocked his vision.

Frank chuckled and wiped the bubbles away so he could see, but as he did so a terrible burning sensation in his eyes caused him to gasp and cry out. The pain was intense and on instinct Frank squeezed his eyes shut, tipping his head back and gasping as he rubbed frantically at his eyes beneath the running water of the shower.

Frank didn't know what had happened or whether he was going to be okay, his heart raced frantically as he panicked and shouted in pain. Was he going to go blind? What had he done wrong? He had only been following the instructions.

As Frank rubbed at his closed eyes the stinging began to die down, the pain becoming bearable and Frank spat water out of his mouth as he wiped the rest of the shampoo away. He opened his eyes slowly, wincing at the way they stung again for a moment before calming down again and he looked about with a small sigh of relief; he could still see.

Feeling a little shaken but mostly okay Frank hurried to wash the rest of the dangerous bubbles out of his hair, keeping his head back that time so they wouldn't run into his eyes again. As he was rinsing them out he heard knocking at the door and then Gerard's concerned voice reaching him through the wood.

"Frank? You okay in there?" He called. "I heard shouting, is everything alright?"

Frank blushed and bit his lip, quickly sitting up properly and sliding his tail quickly back into the cubicle, curling it around himself as much as he could as he pressed into the corner and prayed that if Gerard burst in then he wouldn't see the tail through the fogged glass of the shower cubicle. 

"Frankie?"

"I'm fine!" Frank quickly called back, his arms wrapped around his tail. "I just... Got shampoo in my eyes." 

"Ah." Gerard sounded as though he understood, his worry leaving his voice as he chuckled. "Oh right, I was worried for a second... You okay now?" He called, Frank nodding frantically. 

"Yeah! Yep, I'm fine!" He called back, his heart still hammering erratically as he prayed that Gerard would leave. He couldn't help but feel paranoid that he was going to walk in and discover the truth, so it was a great relief when the artist simply called a 'okay, good' in response and then the sound of him walking away could be heard.

Frank exhaled slowly and closed his eyes, tipping his head back to rest against the wall as he slowly relaxed. That had been too close for comfort... Allowing his tail to appear whilst in Gerard's apartment was too risky, he couldn't let himself be seen like this by anyone or he could jeopardize the whole of his species.

 

Still trembling slightly Frank leant forward again and allowed his tail to stretch out as he gingerly made sure all the shampoo was out of his hair. He never wanted to use the damn stuff again and he shoved the offending bottle back onto the shelf with a scowl. He felt wounded that Gerard hadn't warned him, but then he supposed all humans already knew about not getting it into their eyes. 

Frank supposed he still had much to learn.

Feeling a little dejected and out of place Frank leaned him so that he could turn the shower off as Gerard had demonstrated to him, his skin feeling cold and damp once the water stopped running. Frank looked at his tail for a moment, leaning up on his hands ready to drag himself out of the shower.

With his lip between his teeth Frank slowly began to move out of the cubicle, struggling to keep quiet and not hit anything with his tail as he worked the muscles in it to help slide his body round and then backwards out of the shower. 

The tiled floor was cold on his scales as he dragged himself out of the shower with blushing cheeks. He felt a little embarrassed and humiliated, dragging himself around like a seal on the shore. His tail always seemed so beautiful and graceful... but that was in water. Out of it he just looked ridiculous.

Frank sighed and grabbed the towel that was hanging on the rail, bringing it down to his tail first, rubbing gently over it to try and dry it quicker. Not only would it be horrendous if Gerard walked in and saw him like this, but he wanted his legs back. His tail was ugly and stupid in the human world and Frank hated it.

It took a few minutes of rubbing the length of his tail and fins with the towel before Frank's legs started to return. The metamorphosis for this was much more uncomfortable and Frank had to clench his teeth as he fell back onto his elbows and watched with pained eyes as his tail split right down the middle. At first the two halves still just looked like two separate tails, as if he had become a Melusine - A species of mermaid that lived in fresh water. They existed only in Europe and Frank was pretty sure they had no men in their tribes, which was probably for the best as this double tail just looked even more unattractive in Frank's opinion.

It was a relief when the two tails began to change in colour, the scales disappearing as the end fins became feet again. The sensation of the bones growing inside them made Frank almost cry out; it wasn't that it was particularly painful but it was a horribly alien sensation. 

Frank squeezed his eyes shut for a long moment, focusing on just keeping silent as he waited for his legs to morph. When he opened his eyes again he sighed in relief to see his human body was completely back to normal and he smiled as he slowly wiggled his toes. He was suddenly incredibly grateful that he had been unconscious for his first metamorphosis and he sighed as he shakily got to his feet.

Frank got dried and dressed quickly then, stooping down after to wipe the water off the floor before he made his way out of the bathroom and back to where Gerard was finishing off his painting. Frank felt exhausted after what had turned out to be a rather eventful shower and he groaned as he flopped down onto the sofa, feeling weak.

Gerard was just cleaning his paintbrushes and he turned to smile at Frank as he rubbed some tissue over them to dry them. He raised his eyebrows at how tired Frank looked and cocked his head to the side. 

"You okay?" He asked curiously, Frank forcing a smile as he nodded. 

"Yeah. Just tired." He responded, forcing himself to sit up again so he could look at Gerard's painting. "That looks amazing." He sighed, his eyes shining as he looked in amazement at another mermaid painting. Gerard seemed to be painting a whole set of them, another two in the beginning stages of being drawn up. 

Gerard blushed at the compliment and smiled, putting his paints and brushes away as he thanked Frank. "I want to get at least five done, and then I'll start getting them sold." He explained, feeling good to know he would have some income soon. He never usually had to wait too long before his paintings sold, his problem was that he had been struggling with motivation for so long, but things seemed to be better now.

Gerard made small talk with Frank as he moved his canvases to the back of the room to give them more space. He had put some food in the oven already and couldn't wait to sit with Frank and just watch a movie. 

"I'm just going to shower then." He announced once he was done clearing the space, smiling warmly at Frank. "I'll just be a minute." He assured him before leaving to the bathroom. 

Frank nodded and smiled to himself, lying back down on the couch and sighing as he closed his eyes just to rest them for a moment. He was happy and content lying there, no longer needing to worry about Jamia and feeling just so ecstatic that he could stay for a while and learn all about humans and their world.

Gerard too was looking forward to being able to learn more about Frank. He still couldn't stop wondering who he really was and as he flicked on the shower for himself he found himself beginning to wonder whether Frank's body was different to his. Whether he could shape shift at all; if he was an alien surely it would make sense that he didn't usually look like this.

Gerard hummed thoughtfully to himself, picking up the shampoo and using it to wash his hair as he imagined how Frank might look in his alien form. He was aware that he might be completely wrong, but the more he thought about it the more convinced he became that he was right. As hard to believe as it was he was really becoming certain that Frank was not a human. That he wasn't from this world at all.

Gerard sighed and closed his eyes to wash out the shampoo, imagining Frank coming down to Earth to learn about humans and wondering whether he knew about sex at all. The thought made Gerard blush, and he knew it was inappropriate to think about the younger man in that way but he couldn't help it. Frank was just so attractive, he was like Gerard's ultimate fantasy and imagining him as an alien just made him even more exciting and exotic.

Gerard wondered if Frank would be naive or experienced in the bedroom. Perhaps he would be a strange mix of both. Gerard could imagine getting him into his bed, going to kiss him, sliding his hands down his body... Perhaps Frank would grow nervous, whisper that they do it differently back home and Gerard would kiss his doubts away, telling him he could show him next time. 

Gerard bit his lip and tipped his head back, keeping his eyes closed as he slowly washed his body and imagined what sex 'back home' for Frank would be like. They would probably spend days wrapped around each other, teaching other their different methods and just losing themselves in bliss.

Gerard would love to show Frank how it was done here. He would love to kiss all over his tempting body and spread his thighs. He would take his time to explore every inch of him, take his cock into his mouth and suck him until he'd be begging for release. He'd let Frank top him if he wanted to, Gerard was flexible.

Even just thinking about it was getting the artist hard and he sighed as he slowly slid his hand down his body to grasp his semi. Getting hard from a fantasy was hardly anything knew, and Gerard didn't worry about it as he began to idly stroke himself into an erection. Just like any guy he jerked off regularly, and he hadn't at all the past few days since he was so busy worrying over helping Frank. Now though he had the opportunity to relieve some of the tension that had been gradually building up thanks to following around seduction in its human form.

Gerard sighed and bit his lip as he relaxed against the shower wall, thinking about how Frank had been stood here only a few minutes ago, wet and naked... Gerard squeezed the base of his erection and twisted his hand as he rubbed back to the tip, wishing he had had an excuse to come into the bathroom when Frank was in here. He would love to see him glistening under the water and he almost groaned as he rubbed his thumb over the head of his cock and then dragged his hand back down.

It was ridiculous to be masturbating over a man he had only known for two days, Gerard knew that and yet he couldn't get the image of Frank out of his head. Whether it was him naked in the shower, soaping up his toned body; or him bent over Gerard's bed as he thrust into him and held his ass cheeks apart with his hands, it was all getting the older man off and he clenched his teeth to keep silent as he worked his hand faster and faster over his length.

Gerard didn't last long, knowing all too well how to get himself off thanks to not having a boyfriend in too long, and soon enough his pumping hand had brought him to climax within moments. He gasped and tensed as he came over his fingers, moving his hand slower and squeezing hard to get every last drop out of the tip. 

Gerard slumped against the wall once he was done and slowly lowered his hand, washing it clean before turning to pick up the soap to clean his body completely. He felt loose and sated after his orgasm and he blushed slightly as he wondered whether Frank would know what he had done. If he was an alien it was entirely possible he could read minds. But then if that was the case he would already know Gerard thought he was ridiculously sexy so Gerard supposed this wouldn't be much of a shock.

Still, he didn't particularly want the younger man to know that he had just jerked off over him.

Gerard washed quickly and tried to just compose himself and look normal. If Frank was a mind reader there was nothing he could do about it, so he was just going to pretend that he wasn't and not worry about. 

Back in the living room Frank was struggling not to doze off. He was determined to wait for Gerard to get back so he could sit up with him for a bit, though he was feeling incredibly tired. He couldn't really understand why, but he supposed changing his tail twice in the space of ten minutes probably had something to do with it. 

Gerard soon walked into the living room though, his hair damp and his torso naked as he wandered in wearing nothing but a pair of sweatpants. Frank sat up slowly so that the older man could sit down, gawping at him with parted lips and wide eyes as he admired his body. He looked incredible.

Frank had seen plenty of human torso's, all merman had a male torso of course and so it wasn't exactly anything new, but somehow seeing Gerard half naked like this was making Frank feel funny. It was as if he was suddenly more conscious of his genitals and he blushed as he slowly moved to sit beside Gerard and rest against his side.

The positioning just came naturally to Frank and he didn't even think about it as he curled up against Gerard and laid a hand on one of his legs as the older man draped an arm around him. Gerard looked at him curiously, wondering if he really was a mind reader and was now sitting with him like this because he liked him too. Gerard even considered asking him about it, but in the end decided against it and instead simply flicked the TV on using the remote.

Frank smiled and sighed as he relaxed against Gerard and closed his eyes. The older man smelt like fruit shampoo and body wash and Frank was intoxicated by him. He turned his head to nuzzle his nose into Gerard's bicep, inhaling his scent and feeling incredible resting against him. He supposed the hold might be considered intimate but he didn't care, he liked Gerard a lot and he was happiest with him like this.

Gerard didn't say anything for a moment, trying to compose as he flicked through the channels to see if there was anything worth watching. He settled on a movie and turned to ask Frank if he was happy with the choice, opening his mouth but soon closing it again when he saw that Frank was sleeping soundly already.

Gerard stared at the younger man in surprise, amazed anyone could fall asleep so quickly but Frank's soft breathing made it all too clear that that was what he was doing. 

Gerard slowly smiled, his heart fluttering as he tucked Frank closer to him and gently planted a kiss to his hair. Frank sighed in his sleep and murmured quietly, smiling as he snuggled closer to Gerard and moved his hand to his chest, idly stroking the skin there.

Gerard didn't quite know what to think of it all as he watched Frank sleep for a while. How had he come to have such a gorgeous man in his home and in his arms? He didn't care what Frank was, human, alien, or otherwise; Gerard was just glad he was there and he hoped that now things seemed sorted with his friend that Frank might stay for a real long time.


	7. Chapter seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Franks just started settling into the human worlds when things take an awkward turn again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick apology to everyone following this story. I know the updates are horrifically slow and I really do apologise for that, I wish they were quicker but for the past few months I seem to have lost my 'mojo' when it comes to writing. I don't know if its a lack of motivation or a lack of confidence, or more likely a combination of the two, but I do try my hardest to write as much as possible.  
> I really appreciate that everyone following this are so patient and so thank you all for that, and I will do my best to update quicker.

The human world was a strange place; a very strange place indeed. As days passed by and Frank would go out more with Gerard, mostly to help him sell the artwork he was beginning to create, the younger man was starting to get used to many of the sights, sounds and smells. But there was never a day that went by when Frank wasn’t shocked or confused by something.

Two weeks had disappeared in a flash since Frank had first washed up on the harbour wall and by now he rarely even thought about Jamia and Bob let alone worry about them. He knew they would be safe in the ocean by now and only every now and then would a passing moment of guilt stab at his insides as he wondered if they would still be worrying about him. He liked to think that they wouldn’t be… that everyone would just be moving on with their lives, but sometimes Frank wasn’t able to convince himself of that.

Learning about the humans made Frank grateful that merfolk didn’t have the connection with their parents that people did. Since the children born of the sea creatures were raised by the community as a whole and not by the merman and mermaid that created them there wouldn’t be anyone suffering too much from Frank’s absence. Of course he knew the community _would_ worry, but he also knew that if he had two parents like humans did then they would be forced to suffer the pain of a broken heart until he returned. Frank didn’t want anyone to suffer… he just wanted to be able to explore the human world for a little longer.

During the two weeks that had come to pass Frank and Gerard had started to grow closer. They were still getting to know each other but spending twenty four seven together meant that it felt like they had known each other for years already. Frank would help the artist with his painting most days, or he would watch the television or go out and walk about the town alone to explore a little. 

Sometimes he would go out with Gerard for a drink, or to get the food shop. Now that business was picking up again Gerard had been able to re-stock his cupboards and fridge and he had even started teaching Frank the basics of cooking. Food was probably Franks favourite thing in the entirety of the human world, other than Gerard of course, he loved eating and he liked cooking too though he did often burn himself when he would forget the oven or the stove was hot. Fire and heat like that just didn’t exist in the sea and so it was difficult for Frank to keep it in the forefront of his mind that he could hurt himself.

Despite everything though Frank was having the time of his life living with Gerard. He couldn’t imagine returning to the sea now though he knew he should eventually. He couldn’t just let everyone worry about him forever, and he didn’t belong on land although he secretly felt he was fitting in much easier than other merpeople would. Sometimes he convinced himself he never wanted to go back to the sea… and sometimes he missed it with every fibre of his being.

Gerard’s art work had taken a decidedly nautical route. His paintings of mermaids becoming paintings of ships and underwater worlds. Most of the time it looked nothing like what Frank knew the ocean to really be like, but he found he preferred Gerard’s made up worlds better. The artist had an incredible imagination, and by being such a good painter he was giving Frank the chance to see that imagination splashed onto a canvas. It was the sort of thing that just simply couldn’t be done back home in the sea and Frank just felt as if there was nothing more astonishing and beautiful in the world than art. 

Frank voiced his thoughts freely, and Gerard had promised to take him to an art gallery sometime soon. Frank had lay on the couch one evening, watching Gerard paint and listening with parted lips as the artist explained to him what a gallery was. It sounded incredible, and Frank couldn’t wait to go to one. He was surprised Gerard didn’t want to be in one all of the time considering he painted so much, but perhaps the novelty had worn off for him.

The two weeks that passed went by in a happy haze for Frank, but things couldn’t remain perfect forever. 

Frank tried to shower only when Gerard wasn’t home or when he was preoccupied with his art so that he didn’t become suspicious if Frank was taking a long time. Frank really enjoyed using the shower, but having to wash himself on the floor and then wait for his tail to dry was a bit awkward. It meant he was always in the bathroom for much longer than Gerard ever took, and he didn’t want to seem strange for it.

Luckily Gerard was so busy with his work now that Frank didn’t have to wait too long before he would have a free moment to shower. He waited until Gerard went out again to sell some more art before he made his way into the bathroom one day. He had told Gerard he wasn’t going to come with him because he wanted chance to just relax, and Gerard hadn’t questioned it. Frank was always so full of energy it didn’t seem strange at all that he might want to slow down for a moment. 

Once Gerard had left the apartment and Frank was safely on his own the younger man made his way into the bathroom and locked the door. In the two weeks that had passed he had learnt more about his human body and was starting to grow used to even the strangest parts of it. He could now urinate without really needing to think about it, and was even discovering the joys of masturbation. The classes taught in the ocean had skimmed over the masturbation topic, just making it known that humans could self-pleasure as well as fornicate together; Frank hadn’t thought much of it, but with his new body it was fast becoming one of the things he was most interested in.

Frank stripped from his clothes and walked to the mirror to inspect his body as he so often did. He didn’t turn the shower on just yet, not wanting the steam to fog up the mirror. He turned from side to side, gazing at his reflection and trying to figure out what it was about just having a pair of legs that made his entire appearance so different.

Frank really loved his human body. He especially loved seeing it naked. It was just so different and strange and yet beautiful. He wished he could see Gerard’s naked too, just to compare… He found the older man so utterly enchanting even with clothes on, he imagined seeing him naked would probably make him happy for life.

Thinking about Gerard and trying to imagine what his body would look like beneath the jeans and shirts he was always wearing was making Frank feel funny. It was a like an almost-not-there kind of sensation. It was like he could feel it but then when he tried to focus on it, it would disappear. He could tell it was a good feeling though, and he gazed at his reflection with curious, sparkling eyes as he imagined Gerard some more and gazed at his own body for reference to try and concoct an accurate image.

As Frank looked at himself and thought about Gerard he began to feel a change happening. He had had an erection a couple of times since becoming a human, he had tried touching them and was learning what felt good, but this was the first time he had deliberately caused one. Thinking of Gerard wasn’t enough to get him hard alone, but that combined with his hand stroking over his shaft soon had the blood pumping into his growing erection.

Frank sighed and leant one hand onto the sink in front of the mirror. The porcelain bowl was set into a faux marble counter and the mirror stretched across the length of it, giving Frank a wide view as he wrapped his hand around his hardened cock and began to stroke slowly. He had tried a variety of techniques since he had started trying to masturbate, and he started to combine a couple as he loosened his grip and pumped his hand in short, sharp strokes nearer the head than the base. 

Frank sighed and bit his lip, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment before slowly meeting his gaze in the mirror. His heart began to thump faster and his stomach lurched as he watched himself, moving his gaze down to look at his hand sliding over his cock and he almost moaned when it twitched in his grasp. It felt strange to be looking in the mirror as he did this; it felt secret somehow and watching himself brought it to the open, but it was exciting and new and he bit back a small whimper as he thrust his hips forward and squeezed round the crown for a moment before loosening his grip again.

Frank kept his gaze on himself in the mirror as he began to twist his hand with each up stroke, resisting the urge to tighten his grip too much. He had noticed a lot that he often became too sensitive after a while and would have to stop but that his erection would remain for quite some time afterwards. He knew of orgasms and knew that when you had sex you were supposed to have one, but he was certain he hadn’t felt one yet.

Frank’s free hand squeezed tight on the edge of the sink and he groaned quietly as a surge of pleasure tugged at his nerve endings. He continued to picture Gerard naked in his mind, but kept his eyes open as he stared in the mirror. He began to pump his hand faster, his balls tightening and his cock throbbing as he began to reach a point he hadn’t got to before. It was feeling good… really good. Better than it had felt before, and it wasn’t getting too sensitive yet. 

Frank guessed he must have perfected his technique enough to know how to build the pleasure without tipping over too soon and making it hurt. He began to pant softly as he bucked his hips and arched his back, his whole body writhing and when Frank saw the way the movement was making his muscles ripple and clench he moved even more. 

Now that he knew how to pleasure himself Frank didn’t last long, gasping and moaning as he felt his pleasure climbing and climbing further than he felt it ever could. He could sense it was building up to something and his whole body tensed as if there was a spring coiling up tightly inside him. He threw his head back and squeezed his eyes shut, unable to keep them open any longer as the spring inside him suddenly released and sprang up.

“A – Ah! Gerard!” Frank gasped and bucked his hips forward, crying out in surprise as his orgasm hit him and he came hard over the sink and mirror. He stumbled and clutched the counter for support, still stroking his cock to get through the sensations tearing through him. It lasted only seconds before it began to die down again, ebbing into a sweet afterglow as he slowly uncurled his fingers and slumped down over the counter.

Frank groaned and panted softly, his head spinning. So that was what an orgasm felt like… He didn’t think he’d ever be able to describe it to anyone, but he knew he wanted it to happen again. Now he could understand why humans had sex other than just to procreate, if that was how good it felt. 

Once he had cooled down a little Frank slowly opened his eyes and looked at the mess he had made. He felt as if he had cum an incredible amount, but the sticky white substance in the sink and on the mirror was minimum. It only took him a moment to clean it all up, his cheeks flaming red as he hoped Gerard wouldn’t find out what he had done. 

Frank walked to the shower and switched it on, sighing as he stretched and waited for the water to warm. He felt loose and happy after his orgasm, and he found himself wondering if Gerard did that at all. He knew humans were supposed to and he blushed even more as he imagined the artist hunched over the counter with his hand working over his cock. The image made Frank tingle all over and he almost felt turned on again. He wanted to see Gerard touch himself, he wanted to watch him make himself cum and then he wanted to kiss all over him when he was done. 

“Man…” Frank shook his head and ran a hand through his hair as he stepped into the shower, trying to stop himself from thinking about the artist like he was. He was sure it wasn’t appropriate and he definitely shouldn’t be thinking about having sex with a human. He had come to the shore to create life with Jamia as all the other merpeople were supposed to do in their respective couples. He shouldn’t be on land anymore as it was, let alone wanting to have sex with a man. 

Frank sighed and soaked his hair, getting it completely wet before quickly choosing which shampoo and soap he wanted and then sitting down before his tail could start forming. He was used to using shampoo now and hadn’t had any more soap in the eyes problems since the first time. He poured some of the red liquid onto his hands and began working it into his hair, making sure his head was tipped back and his eyes were closed. 

The sweet smell of strawberry filled the shower cubicle as Frank washed his hair and let the bubbles run down his back. He was so busy thinking about Gerard still that once he had finished washing his hair and was picking up the shower gel to wash he still hadn’t noticed that his tail wasn’t forming.

Frank opened the bottle of shower gel and poured some into his hands, putting the bottle back down and starting to soap over his arms before hesitating when he noticed his legs. He stopped moving and lowered his hands, staring in surprise at his legs stretched out in front of him. Was he imagining them? 

Frank slowly wriggled his toes and bit his lip, bending his legs at the knee and feeling dread start to creep up on him. His tail always changed almost instantly when he got his legs wet, it should have been completely changed by now. 

Frank’s heart started to race as he struggled onto his feet and stood directly beneath the shower, making sure his legs were soaked before he sat down further back so his torso was out of the water and his legs were directly beneath the spray. He stared intently at his knees, waiting impatiently for them to turn but nothing was happening. Not so much as a single scale.

“Come on… come on, change…” Frank whispered, his heart pounding so hard he could feel it. He began to feel queasy, his head spinning as he stared at his legs. Nothing was happening, they weren’t changing. Frank knew there was a time limit on how long a merperson’s could be on land before they would be unable to get their tail back but he couldn’t believe his time was already up.

Frank sprang to his feet in a panic, rushing out of the shower and grabbing a towel to dry himself off. He was enjoying his time on land and had wanted to stay for longer, but he hadn’t wanted to lose all chances of returning home. 

Frank felt like he was going to be sick as he finished drying his body and yanked his clothes back on. His hair was still wet but it didn’t matter. He had to get to the ocean. 

Gerard would still be out for some time Frank was sure, so he didn’t worry as he left the apartment and locked the door with the spare key Gerard had given him. He wasn’t intending to leave for good, but in his panic he was determined to get to the sea and get his tail back. He couldn’t have lost it for good already, he just couldn’t have…

Frank knew the way to the harbour fine by now. He and Gerard often walked there to look at the ships together, and Frank had been there a few times on his own though he found it difficult to look out at the sea without feeling guilty, especially when he wasn’t with Gerard. He knew his friends must have given up on him by now, and that he would be putting them through some pain. If and when he returned to the town he would be in a lot of trouble too, and no one would trust him again. But Frank couldn’t just leave Gerard…

The harbour was busy again due to the fine weather and holiday season. Frank dodged past people and wormed his way through the crowd with his head bowed, feeling anxious and ill. 

He made it to the end of the harbour wall where a small pier reached out into the sea. The tide was out just enough for there to be a small patch of shingle beneath the pier that Frank could drop down onto and so once he was certain no one was watching him he slid beneath the rail on the side of the pier and onto the shingle below. 

Frank crouched down and waited to make sure no one had seen him before he ducked beneath the pier and began to strip of his clothes. He knew he was running a high risk doing this in broad daylight with hundreds of people milling around but he couldn’t wait. He folded his clothes up neatly and placed them beneath a rock as close to the harbour wall as he could get them to collect later. He then turned to face the water lapping close to his feet and took a deep breath. 

If his tail didn’t return Frank didn’t know what he would do.

No one enjoying the sun at the harbour noticed as the naked man stepped slowly into the waves, walking smoothly deeper into the water before disappearing completely beneath the surface. Frank was forced to hold his breath as he began to swim away from the harbour and deeper into the ocean. At first he began to panic, wondering if he was just going to end up drowning but then he began to feel the familiar sensation of his legs fusing together and he gasped in relief as gills opened up on his neck.

Frank headed straight down towards the ocean floor, wanting to be as far away from the humans as possible. He was still in sight of the harbour wall but he didn’t want to go so far as to lose it. He still wanted to go back to Gerard, but it was a relief to have his tail back.

Swimming during the metamorphosis was awkward but by the time Frank had pressed his hands to the sand of the seabed his tail was fully formed and he was breathing easy again. He rolled to his back and sat up to look at his scales and fins, relieved to see that they appeared fine. Relief washed over him and he swam about a bit, weaving beneath boats and round anchors just to enjoy the freedom again.

Despite his relief that he hadn’t lost his tail for good Frank’s heart was still racing erratically. He realised now that he was running a high risk by staying on land. If he didn’t get back to the ocean and stay there before the time limit was up he would be unable to return at all. But Frank didn’t know what the time limit was… It could be months from now or only days, but he knew the only reason his tail had appeared now and not in the shower was because the first stage was up. From now on he would only be able to get his tail back if he was in salt water.

Frank slowed down his pace as he began to swim deeper into the ocean, hesitating to look at his surroundings before he turned and began to swim back towards the harbour wall. As long as that was in his sight he would be able to make his way back.

Swimming about the harbour with the boats and fishing nets above and around him Frank was reminded of the night he and Jamia had been pulled apart by the storm. He hadn’t thought about that night since discovering Jamia was safe with Bob, and he didn’t really want to think of it again if he could help it. He had pushed it safely out of mind, where it couldn’t hurt him anymore, but being in the place where it had happened brought the memories rushing back.

Frank had almost convinced himself he had been unafraid that night, but thinking of it now with the soft silence of the water pressing around him he remembered just how terrified he had really been. There had been moment when he had thought he was actually going to lose his life, or that Jamia was, and he couldn’t remember anything more frightening. 

Frank sighed and stopped swimming, bowing his head as he floated beside a long chain anchoring a ship and slowly wrapped his hands around it. He let his forehead touch the cool, slimy metal and closed his eyes for a moment, thinking about how Jamia must be feeling and realising he should go home.

Frank was going to be in a lot of trouble with the merpeople that much he knew. But he also believed that both Bob and Jamia would welcome him back with open arms. They had been on land, surely they had looked for him? Perhaps Bob had been there looking for both of them and had been lucky enough to find Jamia, or perhaps Jamia had returned to the town and then come back with Bob to look just for him. Either way Frank knew that they wouldn’t shun him, and he did miss them.

However, Frank couldn’t simply swim back to the town so easily… He still had Gerard to think about. And God, Frank thought about him all the time… 

The artist was doing something to Frank he couldn’t quite explain. He enjoyed his company more than he had ever enjoyed anyone else’s, more than even Bob’s or Jamia’s. He missed Gerard when he wasn’t around and loved to please him, seeing him smile made Frank’s heart skip and half the time he just felt weak and giggly around the older man. Not to mention he was causing a sexual attraction which Frank had never felt at all before, let alone so strongly. That was not so simple so just walk… or swim… away from.

Frank groaned and covered his eyes with his hand for a moment, trying to think of what to do. One thing he was certain of – he wouldn’t return to the underwater town tonight, but he had no idea how long he could risk staying on land for now. He would have to tell Gerard he was going to leave soon to prepare him, and make a plan. But how could he plan his leaving when he wanted to stay so badly? 

Frank was so deep in thought that he didn’t notice movement behind him, a shadow passing along the sand near his caudal fin before disappearing quickly. Around him the boats and anchor chains creaked quietly in the water, and Frank focussed on that as he tried to come up with a solution to his sudden problem. He should get back to the merpeople, put their minds at ease and settle back into the world he belonged to but… Gerard…

Frank sighed and slowly moved his hand away from his eyes, opening them slowly and letting go of the anchor chain before jumping and gasping in shock when he realised there was a mermaid floating barely three feet in front of him, watching him with no expression and cool, calm eyes.

Frank’s heart stuttered and pounded from his fright, his eyes widening as he took in the maiden before him. He could tell almost instantly she wasn’t a normal mermaid, and he kept silent as his eyes scanned over her long, slender torso and her plain silver scaled tail which stretched much longer than Frank’s did. She also had only the pelvic and caudal fins, and these were such a pale silver they were almost transparent. Her long hair was a deep ebony colour and her skin pale, her eyes a swirling shade of lilac and Frank realised what she was with a shudder. 

“What are you doing here?” Frank clutched the anchor chain again and bit his lip, knowing better than to try and swim away. Sirens were vicious creatures and if Frank tried to flee and was caught the maiden would tear his flesh apart. “Isn’t it a bit risky to be so close to the humans?”

“I could say the same to you.” The siren responded in a silky sweet voice, so intoxicating that Frank almost swooned. That was the problem with Sirens, their greatest weapon was their voice. They could seduce anyone, and even if you knew they were going to kill you, you would still go willingly into their arms.

“No Sirens live near here.” Frank said slowly after taking a minute to gather his thoughts, forcing himself to picture Gerard to remind himself that he wasn’t interested in women and that this creature was dangerous. If he allowed himself to get pulled into her charms she would slaughter him. “Sirens haven’t been in these waters for hundreds of years…”

The Siren shrugged her dainty shoulders and leant back, treading water and idly swishing her tail slowly as she eyed Frank. 

“My clan has moved closer to the mainland.” She said slowly, her voice utterly delicious but Frank knew she must not be trying to seduce him, despite how is head grew delightfully fuzzy he was able to clear it easily. If the Siren had wanted him dead he wouldn’t find resisting her so easy.

“It’s harder to catch sailors now… The ships that go across the waters to the different countries are too large for us. We cannot easily catch even one man.” The Siren’s carefully masked features suddenly filled with anger and her fists clenched as he swam round Frank in a wide circle, always facing him. 

“We have set up a new resting place for us, only a few miles from here. From now on we will have to catch our sailors one by one.” The Siren looked up then, following the anchor chain to the boat it was attached to and Frank realised her plan. If she couldn’t get sailors from large cruise or cargo ships then she was going to snatch them from fishing boats. 

“But you,” the Siren turned her cold lilac eyes on Frank again. “What are you doing here? We heard there was a town of merfolk not far from us, but we did not believe they would come so close to the shore…”

“I… I’m lost.” Frank spoke slowly, not sure how much he should tell this creature. He was desperate to get away from her, she was dangerous and intimidating and yet at the same time he was transfixed over her beauty. He was almost falling for the mask of innocence she kept permanently over her features. 

“Lost?” The Siren frowned as she swam lazily round Frank, gazing at him curiously. “You are the one the merfolk have been searching for?” She asked slowly, a grin splitting her features. “The one who they believe was cast onto the shore by a storm?”

“You’ve heard of me?” Frank gasped, dread filling him. If even a Siren had heard about him then obviously the merpeople were looking for him. He hadn’t been expecting that and he felt almost irritated by it. Why hadn’t they given up? Why was he so important

“So it is you?” The Siren laughed, the sound like the sweetest music and Frank’s head swam dizzily. “You can’t find your way back?” She asked curiously, Frank blushing as he shook his head. 

“I know my way back…”

“Ah… Then you don’t want to go back?” The Siren giggled and swam close to Frank suddenly, cupping his face and gazing into his eyes with excited intrigue. “There have been many search parties sent out looking for you… It has made my job harder not to be caught… your clan is risking everyone for you.” The Siren purred softly as she ran her fingertip down Frank’s cheek. “Where have you been hiding?”

“I haven’t been hiding.” Frank whispered, his body trembling as he struggled not to lose sight of the danger he was in. “I was… hurt, when I washed up on land. A human found me and was taking care of me, I couldn’t get away.” It wasn’t exactly a lie, Frank could have left whenever he wanted to but the Siren didn’t need to know that. 

“Really?” The Siren’s eyes seemed to flash with hatred for a moment before her innocent look was back. “Could it be that you’ve been with that human all this time… because you love her?”

“Him.” Frank corrected automatically before blushing. “And that isn’t true. I… I don’t even know what love is so…”

“Oh you’d know.” The Siren whispered, drawing away from Frank but still keeping close as her hair floated about her like a dark halo. “I think you already do know… why else would you be avoiding all the merpeople looking for you? I can tell you’re not planning to go back to them.” The Siren grinned darkly, but her eyes betrayed her anger. “You would be a fool to go back to the land.”

“Why?” Frank asked quietly, unable to tear his eyes away from the maiden. “I don’t even know if I can go back there. My tail stopped forming in water I… I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to come back to the sea if I go on land again.” Frank nervously behind himself, thinking again how he should go back to the town. He didn’t know why he was confessing his problems to a Siren, but to his surprise she offered him some useful words. 

“You have been on the land for two weeks.” She stated, smirking at Frank’s surprised expression, wondering how she knew that. “You can keep your fins for two more months… Any salt water will work for the next four weeks. After that only the ocean will return you to this form… If you do not return here in by the time the two months are up, you will remain human.” 

“Why are you telling me this?” Frank asked softly, not sure whether to believe her. Why would she want to help him?

The siren shrugged and cocked her head to the side, gazing at Frank for a long moment before speaking. “It is nothing you should not have been told already by your own people.” She purred. “This man you would be human for… You would not be the first of us to fall in love with a human.” 

Frank bit his lip and nodded, watching as the Siren sighed and grew sorrowful, starting to swim away from him. 

“Wait!” Frank rushed after her, unable to bear to see her go so soon. “Have you loved a human?” He asked desperately, somehow just needing to know, but the Siren didn’t look at him as she continued to swim away.

“No.” She said simply, her longer tail giving her advantage in speed over Frank and soon he could barely hear her, but her sweet voice floated back to him through the water. “But others have… And it always ends in death.” 

* * *

Frank sighed as he hoisted himself back up over the harbour wall and sat down on the edge for a moment, taking a deep breath and laying his head in his hands. He had been under the water for hours, drifting around thinking about the Siren and almost hoping she would come back. By now the harbour was empty of people and the moon was high, providing enough light for Frank to get home by, not that he was really sure where home was anymore.

Knowing he had two months to make a decision on what to do made Frank feel a little better, but knowing that Sirens were now living in the area made him worry about his own little family of merpeople. But the things the Siren had said to him made him worry even more… What did she mean about loving Gerard? Frank knew what love was, but he didn’t know how to tell if he was feeling it. Was it even possible to be able to feel it after only two weeks? 

Frank sighed and slid off the harbour wall, stuffing his hands into his jeans pockets as he walked down the street. He couldn’t tell how late it was but he guessed Gerard would have been home for a while by now. Frank felt awfully confused as he thought of the older man, not liking having to worry about his feelings for him when things had been going so well. 

The walk back was quiet and lonely, Frank sick of thinking the same thoughts over and over. He just wanted to push it all out of mind and fall asleep in the gloriously comfortable bed he had at Gerard’s apartment, and maybe have a bite to eat too.

It didn’t take long for Frank to make it back to the apartment building. He made his way to Gerard’s door and knocked gently before slipping inside. He looked about as he slid his shoes off, the lamp in the living room ahead of him was switched on and the TV was on low but there was no sign of Gerard.

“Gerard… I’m home.” Frank called softly, taking a step forward before stopping when the older man appeared in the kitchen doorway, staring at him with wide eyes for a moment before he rushed over and yanked him into a bone crushing hug. 

“Oh thank God, I’ve been worried sick!” Gerard cried, crushing Frank to his chest and holding him tight as he hid his face in his neck for a moment. Frank bit his lip and hugged Gerard weakly back, surprised by the greeting. 

“Where the hell have you been!?” Gerard suddenly demanded, moving back and holding Frank at arm’s length, hands on his shoulders as he glared at him with sparkling eyes. “I got home and there was no sign of you, no note, no nothing – I expected you back hours ago, I’ve been out looking for you and everything.” Gerard didn’t mean to snap at Frank but he felt sick with relief, so glad to have him back but angry at the same time for being made to worry. “I thought you’d gone without saying goodbye…”

“I… I’m sorry Gerard…” Frank said timidly, biting his lip and gazing apologetically at the artist as he touched his hands and moved them off his shoulders, lacing their fingers gently. “I just went out for a little while. I didn’t meant to be gone so long I just…” Frank trailed off, not knowing what to say. He couldn’t tell Gerard the truth. “I didn’t mean to make you worry.”

“Well you did. A lot.” Gerard said firmly, scowling at Frank for a moment before he sighed and softened a little. “Where were you? I looked everywhere…”

“I…” Frank bit his lip, not knowing what to say. He gazed into Gerard’s warm, frightened eyes and felt an odd tightening his chest. He suddenly wanted to tell Gerard everything, to fall into his arms and cry into his shoulder and ask him for help. But humans couldn’t know that merpeople existed. “I can’t tell you. I just… I can’t.”

Gerard was surprised to see tears in Frank’s eyes and he bit his lip, suddenly feeling guilty for getting so angry at him and he sighed as he wrapped his arms loosely around him. 

“Alright.” He nodded, kissing Frank’s forehead softly. “I’m sorry that I snapped, I was just really worried about you.” He apologised quietly, Frank nodding as he tried to force a smile. 

“It’s okay, I should have left a note.” Frank sighed, not wanting Gerard to feel too bad. “But I promise, I won’t ever leave you without saying goodbye.” He added quietly, looking up at Gerard through his lashes and sighing as Gerard gently lay his hands over his jaw and cupped his face. 

Gerard opened his mouth to speak, to thank Frank, or offer comfort or something; he sensed Frank needed it. But when he tried to speak no words would come, and so instead he did the only thing he could think of and pulled Frank gently to his chest, wrapping an arm around his waist and tilting his head up so that he could tenderly capture his lip in his own and kiss him softly on the mouth.


	8. Chapter eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the end, being a merman can be the biggest cock block.

Frank looked up at Gerard through his lashes as they lay together on the couch, an empty pizza box on the coffee table in front of them and an old black and white movie playing on the TV. 

Since the kiss in the doorway a strange sort of atmosphere had descended in the apartment. Frank couldn’t tell if he was feeling good or not. The kiss had been incredible, soft and sweet and short lasting… and just everything Frank had needed in that moment. But when they had pulled apart Gerard had blushed fiercely and quickly moved back, mumbling about ordering food and leaving Frank just feeling more confused than ever.

There was an extra intimacy between the two men compared to before. Although it was nothing new, Frank lying on Gerard’s chest and gradually falling asleep, there was something special about it now. Something in the unspoken words between them and the energy creating a nervous tension that seemed to tingle over their skin. Gerard’s hand was stroking gently through Franks hair, soothing him… asking him… what are we? Do you want this? Do I want this? Frank wasn’t sure of the answer.

“Gee…” Despite whispering the words seemed too loud in the quiet, breaking through the atmosphere like a ship into an iceberg and Frank blushed as Gerard turned his head to look at him. 

“Mm?” The older man smiled softly, his own eyes half open, just as sleepy as Frank was. Usually they would have gone to bed by now, but neither man had wanted to move first. Frank couldn’t go to bed… not whilst not knowing where they stood now. He didn’t know if Gerard was still angry with him or not, and he didn’t know what the kiss had meant.

Merpeople kissed, just like humans did, and as far as Frank was aware the social connotations were the same. Did this mean Gerard liked him? Was he attracted to him like Frank was? Or had it just been a heat of the moment impulsive action, spurred on by relief at seeing Frank back safely?

“Gee…” Frank sighed, ran his tongue over his lips, tried to formulate the right words. He suddenly felt entirely out of place. How could he speak to Gerard about feelings? He didn’t belong in the human world, he didn’t understand their conventions well enough to really understand what he was asking. He suddenly couldn’t remember anything he had been taught in the ocean before coming on land and he opened and his mouth a few times before giving up and shaking his head. 

Gerard’s hand was soft as he cupped beneath Frank’s chin and tipped his head up to look at him. He smiled softly at him, warm and familiar, though his eyes were alight with a gentle concern. He searched Frank’s gaze for a moment, his heart stuttering. This awkwardness had gone on too long… Gerard knew it was his own fault, he shouldn’t have just walked away after the kiss. He should have waited to see how Frank reacted to it, but he had been afraid… God, he had wanted Frank since the first night of having him in his flat, kissing him had felt so forbidden he couldn’t imagine Frank would respond positively.

Yet… Frank had curled up into his arms on the couch, just like he always did. He had cuddled up to him all evening despite the tension, despite the unanswered questions. Perhaps Gerard needed to stop jumping to conclusions and let Frank tell him how he felt himself. 

“Frankie…” He whispered, gazing into the warm honey eyes of his companion. “What is it?”

Frank stared up at Gerard with a soft, needy gaze. The warmth of his hand beneath his chin was enticing, his warm eyes drawing him in. Frank wanted to kiss him again.

“I… I just…” He paused, wetting his lips once more as he took a deep breath and thought over what he wanted to say. “I’m sorry… for making you worry.” An apology seemed right somehow; He hadn’t apologised properly since returning, perhaps that was why everything felt so different. “I needed some time to think about stuff, but I had every intention of coming back to you… I don’t want to be apart from you.”

Gerard’s breath hitched as he gazed at Frank, inhaling deeply as his head swam and he nodded mutely for a moment. Frank wanted to be around him… that was good. Gerard wanted to be around him too. He had been so worried when he had come home to find Frank gone, had thought maybe he had gone home without saying goodbye. 

“It’s okay…” He whispered, smiling softly and moving his hand to stroke against Frank’s cheek instead. “You don’t need to apologise. I probably over reacted.” Gerard couldn’t move his eyes off Frank’s, he knew this conversation wasn’t the one Frank wanted to have. He knew they had to talk about the kiss. 

“You didn’t…” Frank sighed, shaking his head but not pushing the matter. They could go round in circles all night about this, but Frank didn’t care anymore. He just wanted to understand what he was doing here, what Gerard wanted from him… What he wanted from Gerard in return. 

“Listen, what happened… The kiss I mean…” Frank trailed off, gazing into Gerard’s eyes and gently smoothing his hands up his chest to rest on the front of his shoulders. “Why did you walk away after?” His voice was so quiet it was almost inaudible, his cheeks flaming as he felt embarrassment suddenly wash over him. He could understand if walking away had been a rejection, if Gerard had realised he’d made a mistake and just didn’t want to talk about… But Frank had to talk about it. He had to know. He needed it spelling out for him.

“I…” Gerard paused, blushing himself. He had been expecting the question but he still wasn’t prepared for it. His eyes flicked to Frank’s lips on instinct, wanting to kiss them again. “I was worried I’d overstepped a line.” The words came out soft, calm. Gerard was too busy focusing on Frank’s mouth to worry about what was coming out of his own. “I was scared I had done something you wouldn’t like.”

Frank was quiet for a moment, a pang of relief stabbing him in the gut before spreading slowly through his veins. It hadn’t been rejection, Gerard had just been nervous. He had thought Frank wouldn’t want to be kissed… Frank found it absurd that the artist could ever question it. Wasn’t his feelings for him clear? Frank had never felt like this for anyone, it was hard to hide the emotions that were controlling him. Everything he did revolved around Gerard, not just because he was his only link in understanding and fitting in in the human world, but because Frank couldn’t stop thinking about him…

“Why would I not like it?” He eventually managed to whisper, feeling tired and drained from his long day, but a sleepy energy was now taking over him. If he went to his own bed he could sleep quite easily, but if he stayed here there were plenty of things he could do to Gerard first. “I’ve wanted to kiss you for ages Gerard.”

“Ages.” Gerard chuckled, shaking his head as he blushed. “Frank you’ve only been here two weeks.” It was the rational side of him trying to speak, trying not to let him read too much into Frank’s words or get too hopeful. Two weeks… It was not enough time to fall for someone. Not enough time to realise they were more important to you than anyone else… and yet he agreed with Frank, it felt like he had wanted him for ages too. 

“Is it not normal to want to kiss someone after two weeks?” Frank asked softly, worried he was making too many mistakes in human rituals and that Gerard was going to push him away. But to his relief the artist only sighed and smiled, cupping Frank’s face in both hands now as he shook his head. 

“No I meant two weeks isn’t ages but… Of course it’s normal. You can want to kiss someone after just a day.” Gerard wasn’t about to go telling Frank that he was abnormal, he was hardly an expert on such things. But even if it wasn’t normal to kiss someone after two weeks Gerard couldn’t give a damn. Now he knew Frank wanted him too he wasn’t going to hold back.

“Well… I want to kiss you.” Frank whispered, his eyes focusing on Gerard’s lips as he moved subconsciously closer. “I want to kiss you really bad…”

“Then do it.” Gerard sighed, caressing Frank’s jaw with his fingertips. 

For a moment the merman was lost, not sure how to proceed. But then, he reasoned with himself, merpeople kissed exactly the same. Just because Gerard meant something special to him didn’t mean he had forgotten how to kiss someone. 

Passing his tongue along his lips again Frank slowly closed the gap between them, touching his lips gently to Gerard’s at first but then sinking into him when his nerves disappeared with the soft press of shared desire. Gerard’s lips were warm, dry and so soft it made Frank’s hands feel sweaty. He kept them pressed to the artist’s chest, their lips gently working together as they kissed and held onto each other.

Both men were tentative for a while, unsure of the boundary they were crossing. Both had kissed before, but both knew this time it was different. Neither man knew exactly what it was, but it felt dangerous somehow. Like once they did this they would reach a point in their companionship which they couldn’t return from. Both their hearts were racing and as Gerard traced his tongue along the crease of Frank’s lips and then gently pushed forward to explore his mouth he was all too aware that when Frank chose to leave now he would never be able to simply smile and wave him goodbye. He knew better than to get his feelings mixed up in someone he knew had to leave… but knowing better wasn’t enough to stop him.

When the kiss broke the two men slowly opened their eyes to gaze at each other, Frank’s face now flushed and his eyes glossy. He didn’t know whether it was having a human body or whether it was just because this was Gerard, but the kiss had stirred up sensations in him he had never had as a merman but he was now growing used to. His jeans were a little tighter and his chest felt like it was constricting. He wanted nothing more than to kiss Gerard over and over and rub his cock against him until he came. Was that allowed? He had never had lust explained to him, only fornication. He wouldn’t mind sex with Gerard, but there were so many other things he wanted to do too.

Gerard gazed at Frank with an equally dazed look, his breathing also a little heavier than before. The kiss had been soft, tender… Both man nervous of going too far. Gerard didn’t know anything about Frank’s sexual history, he couldn’t even try to imagine… If Frank wasn’t a human, as Gerard seriously suspected, then who knew what experience he had. Gerard supposed he had to just treat him like a virgin until he got any information.

Frank too was nervous about his sexual inexperience. Merpeople didn’t have sex until it was time to procreate, and he and Jamia had never got that far. Though merpeople had no qualms about two men having a relationship, they didn’t have sex if they were together. It was too risky to come to the surface and gain a human form for the sake of sex for pleasure… Now Frank thought about it he supposed some couples must have done it in secret, especially those who had already gone through the reproduction stage and knew that sex was pleasurable. But he hadn’t had that experience or any like it… the only thing he had to go on was his masturbation but when it came to acting like a normal human sex was a grey area for him.

For a long moment neither man said anything, Gerard just brushing his fingers gently over the back of Frank’s neck. He wanted to say something, to ask how far they should go, to ask for boundaries… If he didn’t know where the line was drawn he could go too far so easily. God, he wanted to go so far… 

“Frankie…”

“Shh…” Frank sensed that Gerard was tensing and he quickly leant forward to kiss him again, wanting him to stay relaxed. Frank was nervous, but he knew what he wanted. He didn’t know how to be like a normal human, but he knew that he wanted to kiss Gerard, and that Gerard wanted to kiss him too.

Gerard sighed and didn’t protest as Frank worked his lips gently over his, pushing his tongue into his mouth when his confidence grew and making Gerard groan quietly with desire. 

The older man slid a hand down to rest on Frank’s lower back, his other hand cupping the back of his neck to keep him close whilst he kissed him deep and slow. Knowing that Frank wanted this helped Gerard relax again, his lips aching every time Frank’s disappeared for a second. The hand on Frank’s back dipped lower, Gerard’s fingertips slipping beneath the waistband of his jeans for a moment to touch the curve of his ass. 

Gerard couldn’t help but sigh wantonly, his pleasure focusing in his groin so that his cock pulsed in his jeans. When Frank shifted he felt his own hard arousal jutting into his thigh and Gerard almost lost control right then. He wanted so badly to push Frank onto his back and rock their hips together; to strip him of all his clothes and fuck him right there on the couch. 

“Fuck…” Gerard suddenly pulled away from Frank’s mouth, gasping as he shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut. “Frank stop.” He groaned, panting softly as he tried to compose himself again. “We… I… I can’t control myself.” 

Frank looked at Gerard with confused, slightly alarmed eyes. He couldn’t understand what Gerard meant and he leant closer to him again, wanting to carry on kissing him. He had never known that kissing could feel so good, no one had ever told him… 

“Control yourself?” He murmured, slipping his fingers up Gerard’s neck to touch against his jaw line. “What do you mean?”

Gerard opened his eyes to look at Frank, not sure if the younger man could really be so oblivious to what he was referring to. He bit his lip, his heart racing as he cupped Frank’s hip and sighed deeply. He wasn’t sure if Frank even knew what sex was, or any of the stuff that built up to it. He obviously had a fully functional body, that much was made apparent by the erection hot and demanding against Gerard’s leg. 

“Frankie…” He sighed, meeting the merman’s soft gaze. “You know what sex is don’t you?” He asked softly, his cheeks tinging pink and slowly burning to a crimson red. It felt so absurd asking a fully grown man if he was aware of sex, but it felt like the right question to ask. Frank was obviously not like normal men. 

“Of course.” Frank nodded with some confidence, stroking his fingertips along Gerard’s jaw. “I’ve never had it but I know what it is.” He said softly, knowing that he should be completely honest with Gerard. He got the impression that all humans were supposed to know all the dynamics of sex by a certain age, and Frank couldn’t say he knew all the finer details.

“You… You’re a virgin?” Gerard rose his eyebrows in surprise, amazed anyone as good looking as Frank could still be untouched. If he hadn’t known what sex was Gerard could understand it, he had wondered if Frank came from a place that didn’t have it… but if he did then how was he still so pure. 

“A… What?” Frank blushed and bit his lip, wanting to know what Gerard was talking about but he didn’t know the word. He didn’t want to have this conversation, he felt embarrassed and nervous, he hadn’t felt like that when they had been kissing. 

“A virgin… Haven’t had sex before.” Gerard clarified quickly, moving his hands up Frank’s back so they were no longer resting on his backside. 

Frank blushed and nodded, biting his lip. Was virgin a derogatory term? “It’s not going to be a problem is it?” He asked quietly, hoping it wasn’t. “It’s not that I’ve never wanted to have sex, I just never had the opportunity.” Frank supposed that wasn’t strictly true, if it hadn’t been for the storm two weeks ago he would have had the perfect opportunity. 

“We really shouldn’t be talking about sex at all.” Gerard sighed, sitting up so that Frank slid off him. He ran a hand through his hair, suddenly unsure of what to do. Maybe he was making a big deal out of something that didn’t matter, being Frank’s first was actually an incredibly appealing concept… But he couldn’t just have sex with him now he knew he was a virgin. They were moving too quickly as it was, this time yesterday they hadn’t even come close to kissing, and now they were discussing sex? Gerard knew he had to pull the brakes on the whole thing before Frank got carried away.

Frank sat back slowly, looking at Gerard with uncertain eyes. He couldn’t understand why the atmosphere in the room had suddenly changed so much. It had been going so well, the kissing had been wonderful and now Gerard didn’t seem to even want to be close to him.

“Gee I’m sorry.” He whispered quietly, looking down at his hands folded in his lap. He was no longer erect and he wondered fleetingly how it had gone down so fast, usually he was unable to make it do that unless he touched it. He guessed the pain in his chest must have something to do with it. 

Gerard’s eyebrows rose in surprise, his eyes sparkling with concern as he quickly crawled back towards Frank and slid an arm around his shoulders. Tugging gently, he soon had Frank curled up in his lap, his cheek against his chest and he sighed as he stroked a hand through Frank’s hair. 

“Why are you apologising?” He asked quietly, gazing down at the younger man and waiting for him to speak. He couldn’t see Frank’s face, but he could feel the warmth of his blushing cheeks through his t-shirt. Was Frank trying to hide from him? 

“Frankie?”

“I just…” Frank trailed off, pressing his face into the soft fabric of Gerard’s shirt, finding sanctuary there and he didn’t want to pull back. He wasn’t sure why he was apologising, it just felt like the right thing to do. He had obviously done something wrong or Gerard wouldn’t have stopped like he had. Frank felt stupid and awkward, he couldn’t figure out how to be like a normal man, he didn’t belong here at all… He couldn’t even get the one thing he wanted even when it seemed like Gerard had wanted it too. 

“If I did something wrong… Went too far… Skipped something I shouldn’t have. I don’t know… Whatever I did, I’m sorry.” The words were easier to say when he was mumbling them into Gerard’s chest. He didn’t dare peek up to see his reaction, but to his surprise strong arms tightened around him and Gerard groaned quietly as he squeezed him close. 

“Frankie what are you talking about? You didn’t do anything wrong. Jesus, it was me I… I don’t want to have sex with you when you’re so inexperienced, and if I kept on kissing you like that then I…” Gerard sighed, squeezing his eyes shut. He wasn’t the type of man who could just bluntly come out with things like this. His college friends would always talk about sex in some detail, but Gerard couldn’t even voice his own desires without getting incredibly embarrassed. 

“I would have gone too far…”

Frank kept quiet for a moment, hiding in Gerard’s arms and taking in what he had said. So being a virgin was a problem… he was inexperienced, and Gerard felt like he couldn’t touch him because of it? Frank didn’t really understand that, everyone had to get experienced somehow. 

“You wouldn’t have gone too far.” Frank slowly looked up, peeking up at Gerard through his lashes as the older man looked down on him. “I don’t see why my inexperience is a problem. If you want me to be experienced then teach me.” 

“Fuck Frank, it’s not as simple as that.” Gerard groaned, running a hand through his hair and moving to hold Frank at arm’s length, searching his gaze with lust still clear in his own eyes. “Sex the first time hurts okay? Especially for men… I mean sure I could have you top me but…” Gerard blushed. He wasn’t sure if there was a gentle way of telling someone they were obviously a bottom. How could he even know that Frank was? Just because he had a feeling about it, didn’t mean he was right. 

Frank gazed up at Gerard with big eyes, biting his lip. They had been told in the sea that sex might hurt for the mermaids, but not the men. Frank had to think for a moment why Gerard would think it would hurt him, but then he slowly realised it was because in effect he would be the girl. 

“Oh…” He breathed, blushing deeply and bowing his head for a moment. He knew how gay sex worked, or at least he could imagine how it would work. He wasn’t a human but he had common sense, and he could guess how sex between two men might pan out. 

Frank sighed and kept his head bowed for a moment, considering everything for a moment. He didn’t feel happy anymore. He felt stupid and naïve and like he should go away, but something in him made him keep still. 

“So…” Frank sighed, huffing gently and shrugging. “What are you trying to tell me?” Frank looked up at Gerard again, his eyes hurt and his face pulled into a wounded scowl. “I won’t ever kiss you again. I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.” He sighed, getting off Gerard and going to walk to his bedroom to be away from him. He felt a strange emotion bubbling inside him, making his cheeks go red and his eyes burn with unshed tears. He had never felt rejection like this before and it made him feel sick.

Gerard blinked in surprise as Frank got off him. For a moment he remained on the couch, looking stupidly where Frank had been a moment ago before some sense trickled back and he shot off the sofa as if it had turned into hot coals. 

“Frankie wait!” He gasped, chasing after him and grabbing his wrist before he could walk into his bedroom. “We should talk about this – Just because I won’t have sex with you tonight doesn’t mean I don’t want to kiss you.” Gerard looked at Frank with wide, meaningful eyes, silently begging him to give him a chance. Frank met his gaze, scowling for a moment, before relenting and sighing as he nodded and let Gerard pull him back to the sofa. 

“Listen, Frankie I… Fuck, I don’t usually talk so bluntly about this stuff but I think maybe with you I need to…” Gerard ran a hand through his hair and sighed, wondering how something like sex had become such a huge deal. It was his own fault, he supposed. Frank had clearly been happy to just make out and not talk about it, they probably would have ended up doing it and Frank still wouldn’t have told him he was a virgin. But Gerard by now was so convinced that Frank wasn’t a normal person he couldn’t allow himself to do what he so desperately wanted without making sure it was all clear first.

“Listen… I really like you.” Gerard blushed fiercely as he looked at Frank, waiting for his reaction but the younger man didn’t even look like he had heard the confession. “Like… a lot…” Gerard added slowly, looking at Frank intently. “More than anyone…”

“I really like you too.” Frank responded, watching Gerard with a clearly confused as expression. He had thought the fact they liked each other was obvious. He watched Gerard watching him, both men waiting for the other to carry on speaking and for an awkward moment neither one did. 

“Okay so… Because I like you, I want to do things with you… Like have sex.” Gerard continued quietly after accepting that Frank wasn’t going to carry on talking. “But I…” Gerard hesitated, not quite sure what to say. He looked into Frank’s gorgeous eyes and sighed, biting his lip. “To be honest with you Frank…. I get the impression that you’re not exactly… well…” Gerard’s hands waved in the air, as if that would help him conjure up a kinder word than the one he was about to use, but none came to mind and instead he simply blurted out, “Well… normal.”

Frank raised his eyebrows at Gerard, surprised by his incredibly honest admission. His heart began to race erratically and nerves filled him, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to think of what to say. He had been worried that he hadn’t been passing as a human, but to hear Gerard say as much made him feel terrified. How long had the older man suspected him?

“Oh…” Frank couldn’t think of anything to say. He couldn’t deny it, it was true… but he couldn’t just agree. He couldn’t just tell Gerard what he was. 

“Oh Frankie I’m sorry.” Gerard groaned, taking Frank’s hands and squeezing them tightly. “That was an asshole-ish thing to say, I don’t know why I said it I’m so sorry.” He apologised, his cheeks flaming red. He hadn’t mean to make it sound like Frank was some kind of a freak, he just hadn’t been thinking. He was terrible with words. “I only meant that… Well… I dunno, you just seem so…”

“It’s okay, I get what you meant.” Frank sighed, squeezing Gerard’s hands as he blushed himself. “And you’re not wrong. I... I am different.” The admission had Frank’s head spinning he was so nervous, knowing that he shouldn’t be saying anything like this but maybe a little bit of truth would help stop Gerard from discovering exactly what he was. 

“You… You are?” Gerard’s own heart began to pound as he looked at Frank with wide eyes, lacing their fingers and pulling Frank closer to him. Was this it? Was Frank about to tell him who he really was? Gerard tried to imagine how he would react if Frank confirmed his suspicions that he was an alien, but he tried not to jump to conclusions and to just listen. 

“Yeah I… I’m not from around here.” Frank chuckled nervously at how much of an understatement that was, keeping his eyes on Gerard’s despite the strong urge to look away. “I don’t know much about sex or any of the social norms leading up to it… I don’t know about technology or… or laws or… or any of that stuff you’ve been helping me understand.” It was nothing that Gerard wouldn’t already know, Frank reasoned, he wasn’t telling him anything new. 

“But I do know that I like you more than I’ve ever liked anyone… And that you make me feel things I didn’t even know was possible until just recently.” Frank’s voice had dropped into a whisper, and by now both he and Gerard were blushing. “And I know that I want to keep kissing you… and that if it leads to other things, as long as you’re happy to teach me then I’m happy to learn… Even if it hurts because I’ve heard in the end it’s worth it.” Frank touched one of his hands to Gerard’s chest and played idly with his shirt, lowering his gaze when it became too hard to keep looking at Gerard. “So… that’s the truth.”

Gerard opened his mouth to respond but then promptly closed it again when he didn’t know what to say. He hadn’t been expecting Frank to say any of that, but it was much nicer to hear than a confession to being an alien. Suddenly Gerard didn’t want to worry about Frank’s naivety or virginity anymore… suddenly he just wanted to take him to bed and get on with what they obviously both wanted. 

“Frankie…” He whispered, a weird feeling constricting his chest and he sighed as he pulled Frank gently on top of him. “You’re incredible you know that?” He sighed, softly pressing his lips to Frank’s and exhaling quietly as Frank kissed him with such a tenderness that his heart missed a beat. He wanted to ask him about who he really was; where he had come from; how he had ended up naked on the harbour wall on that fateful night, but before he could voice any questions he had become distracted by Frank’s lips and this time he had no reason to want to stop kissing him.

Frank expected Gerard to ask him something, to push about who he was but to his surprise the artist only tightened his hold on him and deepened the kiss so that their tongues entwined. Frank shivered delightfully all over, fisting his hands in the artist’s shirt and mewling over how it felt to be kissing him again at last. He hoped he wouldn’t stop but he knew that he probably would… but even when both men were fully erect and their arousal was obvious they still didn’t stop, and soon enough Gerard was hoisting Frank up into his arms and carrying him to his bedroom.

“Gerard?” Frank sighed against Gerard’s lips, wrapping his legs around the older man’s waist and not fighting as he was carried into Gerard’s room and gently dropped onto the bed. Being a merman Frank didn’t understand the connotations of what this meant, but he was strangely thrilled to be inside Gerard’s room, lying in the bed he slept in… and possibly masturbated in if Frank’s activities were anything to go by. 

“We won’t have sex tonight.” Gerard whispered, undoing his shirt and dropping it on the floor before crawling up onto the bed to lye over Frank, gazing at his handsome face. “But we can make out… and… maybe explore a little, if you wanted?” He offered, Frank’s broad smile all the answer he needed and he chuckled as he lifted him slightly into another, wanton kiss, swallowing the moan of delight that Frank passed into his mouth.

Gerard didn’t know who Frank was, but he was certain now that one day soon he would find out. Frank had opened up to him at least a little that night, and now that they were letting their feelings for each other manifest Gerard hoped that in time Frank would trust him enough to tell him the whole truth.

~*~

When Frank woke that morning it was to find he was basking in a pool of sunlight that had made its way through a gap in the curtains. The bed sheets were tangled about his legs and waist, and he was completely naked. Gerard however was no longer in the bed, in fact, he was nowhere to be seen at all.

Frank sat up slowly, yawning and rubbing his eyes as he looked about the room. He and Gerard had had an amazing night, kissing and touching each other until late. Frank had discovered that Gerard’s hand wrapped around his erection felt a lot better than his own, and that a mouth felt even better than that… He had cum twice under Gerard’s lazy exploring, and had even managed to make Gerard achieve orgasm too much to his delight. He had gone to sleep feeling strangely accomplished… but his heart sank to find the bed now empty.

Frank sighed and got out of bed, yawning as he pulled on his underwear and made his way out of the bedroom. Gerard usually woke up before him, and he didn’t see why it would be necessary for him to stay in the bed if he was awake, so he tried not to feel too disappointed that he had woken up without his artist beside him.

As it was Gerard wasn’t exactly difficult to find. Frank could smell freshly brewed coffee as soon as he stepped out of the bedroom, and he could hear the TV playing in the living room. Gerard himself was in the kitchen, spreading peanut butter over toast, wearing nothing but his underwear. 

Frank smiled when he saw him, walking over to press a light kiss to his shoulder blade.

“Good morning…” He purred, smiling when Gerard turned round to him and wrapped his arms around his middle, kissing him lightly on the lips. 

“Good morning gorgeous… I was just making you some breakfast.” He beamed, handing Frank a plate of toast before quickly making up one for himself. “Did you sleep alright?” He asked idly, biting his lip as he remembered how he had spent an hour that morning just lying on his side and watching Frank sleep. “I have to say it is a pleasure waking up with you in my bed…”

“Thanks.” Frank laughed, grinning as he quickly kissed Gerard again. “I slept great Gee, I loved sharing with you.” He sighed, practically swooning as he made his way into the living room and sat down in front of the TV. 

Gerard came in and sat beside him, putting down a mug of coffee for each of them. “I’m glad to hear that.” He chuckled, grinning as he kissed Frank’s cheek before sighing as he looked at the TV screen where the local news was playing. “Mm… Bad news this morning.” He sighed, nodding at the reporter so Frank would pay attention to it. 

“Some guy went missing off his boat last night… The police think he must have fallen off his boat somehow and drowned.” Gerard whispered softly, his stomach twisting as he scooted closer to Frank who was watching the TV with parted lips, a blonde reporter on the screen stood in front of the harbour wall barely ten minutes away from them. 

“The coastguard was alerted at about one this morning that there was an unmanned boat about three miles out to sea. A rescue boat was sent out and arrived at Mr Archer’s boat half an hour later. Though a search team went aboard there was no sign of Mr Archer or anyone else aboard. It is believed that Mr Archer had an argument with his wife and went onto his boat at around half eleven. Police speculate that he must have fallen from his boat and drowned, possibly due to drunkenness. His death is not being treated as suspicious.” 

Frank’s heart missed a beat as the news story continued, but he had tuned out almost instantly. He looked at Gerard, wondering if he thought there was anything suspicious about this man’s death. As far as Frank knew this kind of thing wasn’t common and he bit his lip as he looked nervously at Gerard. 

“It’s scary isn’t it?” The older man sighed, touching Frank’s hand. “To think some guy just disappeared ten minutes away from here… I dunno… It sounds fishy to me, people don’t just fall off their boats.” He sighed, though he guessed it was possible. If the man had been drunk then it wasn’t unlikely that he had stumbled and fallen, but Gerard just didn’t feel like that was the case. 

“I guess…” Frank whispered, still staring at the screen. “Do you think he was… pushed?” He asked quietly, looking at Gerard’s face but the older man just stared at the TV, frowning slightly and not answering for a long moment. Frank was starting to think he hadn’t heard him, but then Gerard looked at him and shook his head, forcing a smile. 

“Course not. He was obviously just a drunkard who fell off his boat, I was just being dramatic.” He said flippantly, getting up to turn the channel over as Frank watched him sceptically. He and Gerard both knew that wasn’t the case at all, but Frank only nodded his agreement and busied himself with eating his toast, pushing the news story out of mind whilst it wasn’t important.


	9. Chapter nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are getting a lot stranger in the little coastal town.

Gerard sighed as he walked into the apartment and hung up his jacket, leaning forward to see down the hall into the open plan living room, smiling when he saw Frank there. The younger man was drawing in a sketchbook Gerard had bought for him, the item rarely out of Frank’s hands. The merman found that he enjoyed drawing with pens and pencils much more than he enjoyed painting and he was determined to practice lots and become a good artist like Gerard.

A week had passed since the men had shared their first real kiss and in that time they had grown a lot closer. Frank had slept in Gerard’s bed every night, sometimes just kissing him before he fell asleep and sometimes doing more. Gerard had managed to restrain himself enough to not initiate sex with Frank, but the desire to do was growing stronger with every day.

“I’m making a drink Frankie, you want one?” Gerard called down the hall, already walking to the kitchen. Frank gave a soft hum back, something in the affirmative. Gerard smirked and rolled his eyes, filling the kettle with water and letting it boil as he gathered two mugs and filled one with coffee and placed a teabag in the other. Even though he kept insisting on sipping Gerard’s in the hopes he would change his mind, Frank still didn’t like coffee; the knowledge that most people practically relied on it though made him want to enjoy it, for the sake of being normal.

Gerard was much more aware of Frank’s desire to be normal now. Now that he was certain he wasn’t human he was picking up on the subtle things he had previously missed. The way Frank would clarify the meaning of things. The way he would ask if people did this or that, whether it was common for them to do certain things or not. It was becoming increasingly clear to Gerard that Frank was trying to learn about being a human so that he could imitate being one. At first this had worried Gerard, but now he found it adorable. Frank was trying so hard, and yet every small slip up he made just made Gerard want to kiss him and hug him tight.

Once the drinks were made Gerard carried them into the living room and sat down beside Frank, handing him his mug and smiling as Frank put down his sketchbook to take it. 

“Thanks Gee… How did the selling go?” He asked brightly, smiling as he blew over the hot liquid in his cup and sipped delicately at it. 

“Pretty good. I’m keeping my displays in the couple shops they’re in, and I’m going to start arranging a gallery soon I think now that I’m getting a piece done every couple days.” Gerard sank back into the couch with a sigh of delight, resting his feet on the coffee table in front of him as he drank his coffee. Work was picking up again and for a change he wasn’t scrimping and saving just to get by. Frank was a good influence on him it seemed, all he wanted to do was paint around Frank and hear his never ending praise.

Gerard’s nautical themed paintings were also surprisingly popular. Being by the sea most local artists were painting ships and sea scenes, but Gerard supposed his fantasy elements were what made his work more popular. He had never imagined people would be eager to buy mermaid paintings, but it would appear they were. 

“I’m hoping word will start spreading about my work.” Gerard smiled, resting a hand on Frank’s knee, idly stroking with his fingertips. “I’m already selling a lot more than I ever have, and I really think a showcase of my work is what I need right now.”

“Sounds good.” Frank nodded, smiling. He knew what showcasing the art meant; Gerard talked so much about being an artist that Frank knew most of the terms by now. He loved listening to Gerard talk about his work, his passion for it was always so clear and Frank treasured that part of him. 

“Mm, I think so.” Gerard nodded his agreement, idly turning to look at the TV which had been left on the same channel all day. Frank had just kept it on as background noise, he hadn’t even noticed what was showing. “So have you just been drawing all then?” Gerard asked softly, though the question fell flat as he realised what was being shown on the screen.

Frank answered that yes, he had been drawing all day, and was just picking up his sketchbook again to show Gerard his new pieces when he realised the older man wasn’t listening to him anymore and he followed his gaze to the TV. It didn’t take long for Frank’s attention to get sneered too and he slowly put down his cup of tea before he dropped it. 

_“-the fifth sailor in seven days to go missing.”_ The news was playing on the TV, the local presenter stood in front of the harbour wall as she had been doing a lot that week.

_“Mr Darm’s disappearance has followed the same pattern as the previous five: His boat was found drifting without anyone on board, but this time Mr Darm did not leave the harbour alone. Unlike the other missing sailors Mr Darm had his two adult sons and his friend Mr Grey with him. The four men had arranged a fishing trip and according to all who knew them they were excited for a weekend on the boat._

_“The police are now treating all disappearances of the past week as suspicious and a dive team are now scouring the area for bodies. Anyone with any information is encouraged to call the police.”_

Gerard picked up the remote and turned off the TV before the number for the police could show, his face considerably paler. The whole town was shaken by these disappearances and now that more than one person had disappeared from one boat Gerard could imagine that many people would be too afraid to go sailing. 

“Can you believe this?” He whispered softly, putting the remote back down and biting his lip as he looked at Frank. “How can people just be disappearing… it’s so strange.”

Frank nodded his agreement but couldn’t bring himself to say anything. After the first couple of disappearances he had begun to feel suspicious over the cause, but now there was no doubt in his mind that sailors were being snatched by the Siren’s. He suddenly felt sick and his head was swimming, his skin turning an ashen grey. 

Deep down Frank knew that if he was in the ocean this wouldn’t have bothered him. Siren’s had been drowning sailors ever since man had invented boats, but seeing it from a human perspective was much more terrifying than being a merman.

In the sea merpeople just did their best to keep away from Sirens. They were considered dangerous creatures and would kill a merman just as readily as a human; but no merperson worried themselves with what the Sirens were doing to humans. Just like humans didn’t worry about animals hunting, to merpeople it was just considered a fact of nature that Sirens killed sailors.

Now though things weren’t that simple for Frank. He couldn’t just ignore what the Sirens were doing. He could see only too clearly how the disappearances were frightening Gerard. He had heard the stories of how people in the town were slowly growing more concerned, some people too afraid to go out in their boats. All sorts of rumours and conspiracy theories were surrounding the disappearances, most of them bizarre imaginings to do with the government. So far Gerard hadn’t mentioned that anyone suspected a Siren, in fact the closest rumour to a sea creature being behind this had been ‘some crazy notion’ (as Gerard had put it) that something like a giant squid was behind this.

Frank didn’t know if anyone would come to realise the truth. He knew that humans didn’t believe in things like mermaid’s or Sirens anymore but surely someone, sooner or later, would start to wonder… And even if they didn’t Frank couldn’t just live with what was happening. He was frightened just like the humans were, and being on land and seeing everything from that perspective was showing him just how abnormal and terrifying the disappearances were. If things continued on this scale Frank couldn’t imagine how things might end. 

“Frankie?” Gerard raised his eyebrows as Frank jumped and looked at him with wide eyes, his skin a strange colour and his face the picture of terror. He looked genuinely ill and Gerard bit his lip as he slid closer to him and gently lay an arm around his waist. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” Frank nodded, replying too quickly for Gerard’s liking. “Just… A little shaken I guess. Its scary stuff.” Frank tried to force a smile, tried to look like he wasn’t being so greatly affected but he could tell it was obvious. He was horrified by what was going on and he felt almost guilty for it. He was the only one who knew the truth about what was happening and he couldn’t help but feel like it was his duty to tell someone. 

Gerard bit his lip as he looked at Frank, frowning slightly as he moved to take hold of his hands instead, gently stroking his palms with his thumbs. “Frank… You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” He whispered, wondering why he was so afraid. Of course the disappearances were frightening, but Gerard didn’t think there was any reason why they should be affecting Frank so deeply. 

“I’m fine I just…” Frank stopped, unable to think of a way to finish his sentence. He was just what? Fighting with trying to hide the truth? Disgusted that a creature similar to himself was the cause of so many deaths in such a short space of time? Terrified that Gerard was going to find about what he was?

“I just can’t believe so many people have gone missing that’s all.” 

Gerard quirked an eyebrow, his face sceptical. He was starting to wonder if there was another reason why Frank was so pale, if maybe he knew something about what was happening. The sailors that had gone missing had simply disappeared without a trace. Was it so crazy to wonder if something had taken them? Something that could hide them where no one would find them? Something like aliens…

“Frankie…” Gerard softened his voice, speaking quietly as he held Frank’s hands and looked at him with soft eyes. “Do you… know something about what’s going on?”

Frank’s already wide, terrified eyes grew even wider at that, his lips parting as he stared at Gerard in horror. Immediately he tried to tug his hands out of Gerard’s but the artist held on tight, refusing to let him go as Frank whimpered and shook his head frantically. 

“N – No! No of course not! Why would I know anything Gerard, I’m not even from this town.”

“Exactly.” Gerard hissed, his eyes boring into Frank’s as he implored him to tell him the truth. “Where _are_ you from Frankie? Why haven’t you told me yet, what are you hiding?” He asked softly, trying to pull Frank gently closer to him but the merman continued trying to pull away. 

“I – I’m not hiding anything.” He insisted, tears stinging in his eyes as he began to panic. Gerard couldn’t know the truth, he just couldn’t… He would never believe it. He would shun Frank, he’d think he was crazy… Or he would blame him for the lives that had been lost. “Gerard please, you’re being crazy, I don’t know anything.”

“No!” Gerard suddenly snapped, scowling as he tightened his grip. “Don’t call me crazy! I’m not crazy!” 

Frank raised his eyebrows in surprise, staring at Gerard in shock at the way he had risen his voice, talking like a desperate man and Frank realised he had hit a nerve. He stopped trying to pull away as he softened, looking sadly at the artist. Did Gerard think people would think him mad? What was it he believed that would make him worry for his sanity?

“I didn’t mean it.” Frank whispered softly, managing to break one hand out of Gerard’s and gently touch his cheek. “I know you’re not crazy.”   
Gerard sighed and nodded, closing his eyes as he leant into Frank’s touch. “I just… I want to know who you are Frank.” He whispered softly, opening his eyes again to gaze softly at him. “I want to know where you’re from. I know you’re not from here, I just… I just want the truth.”  
Frank bit his lip and sighed, his heart racing and his chest tightening as if it had been caught in an iron vice. He didn’t know what to say, didn’t even know what to feel. Did he want Gerard to know the truth? His instincts told him no; made him feel that letting Gerard know who he was would be the worst thing he could possibly do. He had been trying so hard not to let Gerard find out the truth about him, could he really just put all that aside and tell him?

“Gerard…” Frank whispered, gazing into the older man’s warm brown eyes and feeling his heart twist. “I… I can’t tell you…” He breathed, leaning slowly closer, pulled in by his desire for the artist. “You wouldn’t believe me.” 

Gerard’s breath hitched in his throat, his hand tightening around Frank’s though he tried not to get his hopes up. Frank would probably still back out and not tell him, but this was the closest he had got to getting the truth out of the younger man and he couldn’t help but want it more desperately than ever before. He needed to know who Frank was… Needed to know why the disappearances were bothering him so much.

“Frankie I promise you, whatever you tell me I’ll believe it.” Gerard whispered, keeping his voice soft and understanding, not wanting to do anything that might spook Frank into not telling him. “To be honest I… I think I already know where you come from.” He added ever so quietly, blushing at the admission though he didn’t move his gaze from Frank’s.

The merman looked startled for a moment, surprised to hear that Gerard had been coming up with theories about him and his heart missed a beat. Could it be possible that Gerard had already guessed what he was? He had made it clear that he knew Frank wasn’t normal, and had hinted that he didn’t think him even human but Frank hadn’t allowed himself to consider that Gerard had managed to guess the truth. 

“I… You do?” Frank tried to sound casual and not let his horror show through as he stared at Gerard. “What do you think?” He asked quietly, hoping he sounded mildly interested and wasn’t making it obvious that he felt as though his heart was about to cave in.

Gerard hesitated in his answering, biting his lip as he looked at Frank and slowly laced their fingers. He could tell, despite Frank’s attempts to look calm that the younger man was panicking and he wasn’t sure whether he should tell him what he believed. He wasn’t sure whether it would be better if he was right or wrong. He only knew that he had to say something before Frank passed out or had a panic attack or something.

“Well I…” Gerard paused, passing his tongue along his lower lip and trying to think of a gentle way of saying it. He didn’t want to just bluntly state that he thought Frank was an alien, but he couldn’t think of any other way of saying it. “I… I kinda guessed that you’re not from… ya know… this world.” Gerard blushed deeply, feeling utterly ridiculous. He almost gave in and said it was nothing, but the look of guilt and horror that crossed over Frank’s features gave him more conviction and he carried on.

“You’re not are you?” He whispered, his heart missing a beat as he leant closer to Frank, feeling almost dizzy at the thought that he might actually be right. “You… Are you an alien?”

“Am I a what?” Frank’s eyebrows rose in surprise, a small tinge of relief spreading inside him as he realised Gerard hadn’t guessed the truth after all; although Frank had no idea what an alien was. 

At first Gerard thought Frank was just trying to pretend he didn’t know what he was talking about, but he soon realised that the look of confusion on his face was genuine and he sat back in surprise. Disappointment washed over him and he sighed as he shook his head.

“An alien… you know, from outer space?” He asked, Frank still looking bemused and Gerard groaned, running a hand through his hair. “God I’m sorry… I’m an idiot. Aliens don’t exist, I should have known it was stupid.” Gerard’s cheeks were flaming red and he had the sudden urge to leave and hide somewhere for a thousand years. Poor Frank looked bewildered, utterly confused by what Gerard had said, though he did crack a small smile. 

“I’m not an alien… whatever that is.” He chuckled, touching Gerard’s knee when he saw how flustered he looked. “But since you’re so certain you can believe in things that supposedly don’t exist then…” Frank hesitated, his heart racing as he realised he was actually going to say it. He wasn’t even sure why he was going to; he knew that he shouldn’t, it would be better for everyone if he just kept his mouth shut and yet seeing Gerard so embarrassed and upset made his mouth just develop a life of his own. 

“I’m a merman.” Frank’s stomach lurched as he said it, but accompanying the sickening feeling was also a profound sense of relief. He suddenly slumped, relaxing as he exhaled long and slow, his head swimming with the force of how good it felt to say that. He suddenly understand the phrase about a weight being lifted off his shoulders and he smiled uncertainly, waiting for Gerard to say something.

Gerard quirked an eyebrow at Frank, trying to judge whether he was making fun of him or not. At first he assumed it was just a joke, a way to tease him for believing in something as ridiculous as aliens; or a way of playing on his new found fascination with the sea and mermaids. Yet when he looked at Frank’s earnest face his heart began to trip in its rhythm and he felt a strange knotting sensation in his stomach. Even as he began to shake his head and try to convince himself it wasn’t possible, his body was already accepting the truth of Frank’s words.

“A merman… Really?” He smirked, shaking his head and sighing. “Good one Frankie.” 

“Huh?” Frank frowned in confusion as Gerard got to his feet, the older man simply laughing off his statement as if it was nothing but Frank could see that he was trembling. “Gerard it’s true.” He sighed, getting to his own feet though he kept still as Gerard started to pace the living room.

“Look, this really isn’t the time for jokes.” Gerard sighed, not even looking at Frank as he walked back and forth, wringing his hands. “I’m obsessed with mermaids, I get it, but you don’t have to make fun of me for it.”

“What!?” Frank felt a stab of pain in his chest, as if Gerard had attacked him and he scowled at the older man. “I’m not making fun of you.” He snapped, tears rising in his eyes and he stamped his foot so that Gerard would look at him. “Damn it Gerard, it was really hard for me to tell you that, and you just blankly refuse to even consider it to be true?” He demanded, surprised by the well of hurt and anger that was rising inside him.

“I’ve been keeping it a secret ever since I met you, and it hasn’t been easy ya know!? I should have returned back to the sea as soon as I realised I was on land. I shouldn’t have let you take care of me, but I did. And if I don’t get back into the ocean on time I’ll never be able to return but I’ve been staying here because of how much I like you, and now I trust you with the truth you just throw it back at me? Make me feel… Make me feel like I’m _crazy_.”

Frank deliberately brought up his sanity, realising it was a tender subject for Gerard and the effect was immediate. The artist turned to face him with a surprised, wounded look on his face which slowly turned to one of shame and guilt. He bit his lip as he looked at Frank, staring in shock at the tears glistening in his honey eyes. 

“I know humans don’t believe in merpeople anymore, but if you can believe I’m an alien then why is me being a merman so hard to accept?” Frank guessed that believing in aliens was a similar concept. Gerard had made it sound as though it was something humans didn’t usually believe and he scowled deeply as he stared defiantly at the older man. 

“Frankie…” Gerard didn’t know what to say. Deep down he could tell that Frank was being honest and yet to acknowledge it as the truth was too hard. He felt stupid as he stepped forward, whispering an apology and trying not to think how idiotic he would sound if he told Frank he believed him and it turned out to be a lie. 

“Listen I… This is really hard for me too.” He finally whispered, touching Frank’s hand gently and flinching when Frank pulled it away. “You’re right though. The alien thing was way more ridiculous than believing in merpeople…” He whispered, using the gender neutral term in the hopes it would make Frank feel better, but the smaller man wouldn’t even look at him, keeping his face turned away and his arms folded.

“Frankie I…” Gerard paused, thinking for a minute before he sighed and stepped close to Frank, resting his hands on his biceps and rubbing gently as he tried to console him. “Do you remember the day we first painted? And I told you when I was a kid I used to believe in mermaids?” 

Frank bit his lip, trying to stay mad but he couldn’t help but glance at Gerard out of the corner of his eyes. His face softened slightly as much as he tried to keep scowling and he gave a tiny nod. 

“Well… I stopped because my parents found out, and the older I got the more it worried them that I would end up being some kind of mermaid obsessed freak.” Gerard was blushing again, ashamed to reveal the truth but if he couldn’t tell it to Frankie then who could he tell it to. “Eventually they got so worried they sat me down and flatly told me that mermaid’s weren’t real, and that if I wasn’t able to accept that then I would be taken to see a counsellor… a kind of doctor for the mind.” He explained softly, Frank turning to look at him properly, his scowl gone.

“I found it easier to accept you were an alien because you get tons of crazy people who believe in them, but not many who believe in merpeople and… and for me to believe you would be like bringing up a part of me my parents made sure I repressed.” Gerard wasn’t sure if Frank could understand what he was saying, but he carried on regardless. “Me believing that you’re a merman would be painful for me but…” Gerard sighed, feeling nervous and shaky as he quietly whispered, “if you really are a merman it… it would be a dream come true.” 

Frank rose his eyebrows and smiled slowly, unable to stop himself from relaxing and silently forgiving Gerard as he unfolded his arms and gently took the older man’s hands. 

“Really?” He asked quietly, sighing as he stepped close to Gerard and lay his head against his chest. “I could prove it you know? All I have to do is go back into the sea and I get my tail back…” He whispered quietly, hardly able to believe he was saying all of this and yet it felt so good at the same time. Gerard was so important to him, he cared for him deeply, probably even loved him. The Siren had said he would know if he did, and honestly he couldn’t imagine love feeling any different. 

“You could?” Gerard breathed, his eyes growing wide and he looked at Frank with an uncertain smile, still trying to fight with himself as to whether he believed Frank or not. “Would you show me?” He asked quietly, his heart hammering erratically. “I mean, right now? We could just go to the harbour and you could show me right now?” He asked, just to clarify. 

Frank laughed quietly and nodded, feeling nervous and uncertain himself yet he smiled weakly. “I guess so… We couldn’t let anyone see though.” He shrugged, biting his lip as he gazed up at Gerard. “Does this mean you believe me?” He asked quietly, able to tell that Gerard wasn’t sure yet but as long as he didn’t completely disbelieve him then Frank was happy. He could prove it to him easily enough.

“I…” Gerard sighed, thinking about it for a moment. “I want to see the proof but I… I don’t think you’re lying.” 

Frank pouted slightly, not entirely happy with that answer but it was good enough for him to decide that he would show Gerard his tail. He had already told him so he couldn’t see any reason not to show him, and maybe if Gerard knew the truth things would be easier. He would finally be able to teach Frank about the human world properly by actually understanding why Frank wouldn’t know about certain things. And he would understand too why Frank would have to leave after two months…

“Alright.” He said softly, forcing a smile and tiptoeing up to gently peck Gerard’s lips. “Let’s go then, to the harbour I mean… I’ll show you my tail, and then you’ll believe me.”

~*~

The sun was setting by the time the harbour began to empty of the crowds of people. The disappearances had stirred up such intrigue that people had been hanging around all day, watching the news teams do their reports and mutter over how sad the whole thing was. 

Frank and Gerard had been forced to sit outside one of the pubs and just drink as they waited for an opportunity to get to the water without being noticed. They had filled the afternoon with awkward small talk, neither knowing how to act now that the truth hung between them. Gerard just desperately wanted to see some proof, and Frank couldn’t help but worry over what seeing the proof would do to them.

As the crowds dispersed and they finally abandoned their empty glasses to walk to the pier Frank began to panic even more. What if Gerard saw his tail and completely freaked out? What if it made him decide he didn’t want to be around Frank anymore? Or worse… What if it made him treat Frank like some sort of a freak, made him sell him out for research or told someone else about him. 

Frank knew that he was putting his entire species at risk, but he had already reached the point of no return. The only way to get out of showing Gerard who he was would be to go into the ocean and swim away from him… To swim back to his own town and never return… But Frank knew that that was impossible. He was bound to Gerard now. Something invisible but perfectly tangible had connected them now Frank had told him the truth and he knew he would be unable to simply leave.

Looking around to make sure no one was watching them the two men slipped beneath the rails of the pier and down on to the band of sand below. Gerard kept silent as he watched Frank remove his clothes, his back to him. Now that they were so close to the water Gerard was feeling nervous too, his heart racing as he tried to comprehend what Frank was about to do. 

Gerard still wasn’t sure whether he believed Frank or not. He wanted to, more than anything he wanted to, but he couldn’t find the conviction to really believe that any minute now Frank was going to transform into a half fish being right in front of his very eyes.

Once Frank was naked he sighed and glanced over his shoulder at Gerard, meeting his gaze with an almost sad look. “Promise me something?” He asked quietly, a sense of acceptance and sadness washing over him. 

“Anything.” Gerard whispered, his own eyes sad as he saw the sorrow in Franks. 

“Don’t freak out on me…” Frank’s words were soft, his face deadly serious. Gerard’s breath hitched in his throat and he nodded automatically, quietly mumbling ‘I promise’ before Frank nodded and turned to step into the water. 

Gerard watched with baited breath as the younger man walked slowly forward, wading through the waves as the water came up to his knees, then his waist, right up to his chest before he ducked beneath the surface and disappeared from view.

Automatically Gerard panicked, rushing forward to the water’s edge and looking about frantically for the man he had come to consider his almost-lover. In the few seconds that passed all sorts of crazy notions went through his head. What if Frank had lied to him and had now drowned himself to get out of it? What if he really was a merman and had gone back to wherever he came from? What if whatever had taken the sailors had taken Frank too?

Gerard was just beginning to really believe something terrible had happened when suddenly Frank’s face appeared, barely two feet away from him. Gerard cried out in shock and jumped backwards, his eyes growing wide as Frank looked at him. The merman was resting up on his elbows, his face worried as he shrank back timidly and looked at Gerard nervously. Behind him his tail was curled up out of the shallow water, his caudal fin fanned out and spreading out a good three feet either side. 

“I… I… Oh my God… I –”

“You promised not to freak out.” Frank quickly spoke up, biting his lip as he looked anxiously at the artist. “Please don’t panic… If you do I’ll have to go. I can’t risk anyone else seeing me.” He said as gently as he could, Gerard looking as though as he was about to have a nervous breakdown but he stuck true to his word and didn’t make a sound.

For a long moment Gerard couldn’t speak. Before him was the one creature he had been trying all of his life not to believe in. He had always felt a deep love and fascination for the ocean, it was one of the reasons why he had moved here. But he hadn’t thought about mermaids or anything like that since his parents had lectured it out of him as a child. And now… as impossible as it may be… Here was Frank. The most beautiful thing Gerard had ever seen. 

“I… Oh my God. I can’t believe this is real…” Gerard finally managed to choke out, stepping forward slowly, walking straight into the water, shoes and all, to get closer to Frank. As it was Frank had come up so that he was only in shallow water, it only coming up to Gerard’s ankles. 

“I shouldn’t have told you about me…” Frank said quietly, looking up at Gerard as he kept perfectly still, not wanting to do anything that might frighten the older man. “Humans are not supposed to know about us… but I couldn’t keep it from you any longer.” He sighed, biting his lip as Gerard’s eyes scanned all over him.

Gerard wasn’t surprised to hear that Frank was breaking rules by doing this. He couldn’t stop looking at him though, taking in the sight of his long, black scaled tail and deep red fins. The curve of his spine arched beautifully into the backside of his tail, the two dimples on his lower back still visible. There were slits on his neck that Gerard assumed must be gills, but his human lungs must still function too for his head to be out of the water.

Gerard was speechless as he stood in the water, letting his shoes and socks get soaked as he just stared and stared. Every daydream he’d had as a child; every movie, every story, every painting; none of it compared to what he was seeing now. He had no words to describe how incredibly beautiful Frank looked. His gorgeous face and lightly toned body attached to his shining, boldly coloured tail. 

There was nothing sexual about Frank in this form, but it would be wrong to say he was unattractive. In fact, he was more beautiful than ever before. So beautiful in fact it would be wrong to ever look at him as something sexual. There was something inherently pure about this form, something so spectacular, something so perfect about it that to so much as kiss him in a lustful way would destroy it. 

Gerard wasn’t sure if he believed in God or not, but in that moment he couldn’t help but think that if God did exist then Frank was certainly one of his creations. Nothing so stunning could be created merely by accident. 

Frank watched Gerard carefully for what felt like a lifetime, slowly growing more and more nervous when he didn’t say anything. The look on his face was nothing but shock and Frank couldn’t read any more than that. He couldn’t tell what Gerard was thinking, whether he still liked him or not and that terrified him. 

“Gee… Please say something.” He mewled, a lump building in his throat. 

“I… Frankie you… You’re beautiful.” Gerard whispered, snapping out of his stunned state and slowly dropping to kneel in the water besides Frank. He hovered his hands above his tail, as if he wanted to touch it but was too afraid too; his eyes were wide, drinking it all in. “I’ve never seen anything so beautiful…”

Frank swallowed thickly, not sure what to say. He hadn’t been expecting Gerard to think him beautiful and the words sent shivers of happiness coursing through his very veins. He smiled uncertainly, turning to face Gerard and laying his hands on his knees to lift his torso up towards him. He flicked his caudal fin in the water, grinning when Gerard’s face lit up to see the motion.

“This doesn’t bother you?” He asked quietly, Gerard finally meeting his gaze with a look of horror.

“Bother me? Why would it bother me?” He gasped, grinning as he touched Frank’s hands and watched his tail swishing slowly back and forth. “Frankie I love this… I love _you_.” He sighed, barely realising the impact of his words but Frank only smiled serenely and sighed as he lay his head down on Gerard’s knees.

“Oh Gee…” He purred, an odd feeling building in his chest, as if his heart was swelling double its size. “I love you too.” He whispered, smiling as Gerard lay a hand in his damp hair and stroked slowly. 

“I’m so glad you showed me this.” Gerard whispered, moving his gaze back to Frank’s face and smiling softly. “Thank you…”

“Mmm…” Frank smiled himself and purred quietly, nodding his head. “Thank _you_ for being so wonderful about it.” He whispered back, so incredibly happy. He had never imagined that showing a human his true form could ever make him feel like this, but sharing such a huge secret with someone he loved made him feel as though he and Gerard had created an unbreakable bond. It was as if a chain had suddenly reached out linked their hearts together, and now no matter how far apart they were… Even if Frank was in the ocean and Gerard was on land, even if they never saw each other again… the chain could not be broken. And they would always know each other, and always love each other…

Frank smiled serenely as he closed his eyes and just rested against Gerard, idly moving his tail around and letting Gerard watch it with deep fascination. 

For hours the two men just stayed in the sea, Frank resting as Gerard looked at him. Gerard felt like he could look at him like this forever… and for now all thoughts of the disappearances left his mind. He couldn’t remember his earlier suspicions that Frank possibly knew something of the matter, and if he did he wouldn’t have asked him, the moment too precious to destroy with talk of something so dark.

Sooner or later the matter would have to be discussed, but there were plenty of things Gerard wanted to do now before he worried about something that in that moment, felt so very far away.


	10. Chapter ten

Frank was a little timid as he sat down on the couch in the apartment and waited for Gerard to come in from the kitchen. 

On their walk home they had made a small detour to buy a bottle of wine, Gerard insisting they needed to celebrate the fact that Frank had come out to him. 

Frank had to admit that he was surprised that Gerard was taking the whole thing so well. He was happy that he was, but he was also a little nervous that he was faking it in order to make Frank trust him and that he would then tell someone about him. Deep down he knew it was ridiculous, he knew that he really could trust Gerard, but years of being told that humans were dangerous made it difficult for him to not be wary.

As the artist joined him in the living room he smiled, trying not to let it show that he was still anxious as he accepted the small glass of wine Gerard handed to him. He was starting to prefer wine each time he drank it, but he still only wanted a small amount. But he gathered it was a human convention to drink wine in moments like these so he had agreed to buying it.

Gerard looked like he was incredibly happy as he settled back in his seat and swirled his own wine round its much larger glass. He looked at Frank and grinned at him, sliding his free hand across the small gap between them to rest on Frank’s thigh and squeeze gently.

“Frankie…” He sighed, his eyes soft and loving. “I’m so happy that you’ve told me about you. I never would have guessed you were a merman.” He whispered, the words still feeling strange in his mouth; saying them made him feel almost stupid, it just seemed so impossible. Such a ridiculous thing to say… and yet he had _seen_ it, with his very own eyes he had seen the truth…

Frank forced a smile, nodding his head and taking a large gulp of wine to steady his nerves. He had been so sure earlier that telling Gerard was the right thing, but now he couldn’t help but hope he hadn’t made a mistake.

“Gerard…” Frank took another large gulp of his drink and then turned to face the older man, looking at him anxiously. “Gee… Promise me, _promise_ you won’t tell anyone about what you saw.” He whispered, his voice desperate and Gerard rose his eyebrows in surprise. After the way they had lay in the ocean together, so happy and serene, it was hard to understand why Frank suddenly seemed nervous.

“What… I… Frankie, of course I wouldn’t tell anyone.” He breathed, putting his glass and then Frank’s down so that he could take both of his hands and hold them tight. “I swear to you, I would never betray you like that. No one would believe me even if I tried… Frankie… You’re safe, I promise.”

Frank stared deeply into Gerard’s churning hazel eyes, trying to read them; it didn’t take him long to realise he had been wrong to let doubt creep in and he sighed, relaxing as he nodded and leant forward to softly kiss Gerard’s lips. 

“I believe you.” He sighed, wrapping his arms around Gerard’s neck and cuddling into his lap as he apologised softly. “I shouldn’t have doubted you. Of course I trust you… It’s just… I never thought I’d ever reveal myself to a human. It’s pretty much the biggest thing merpeople _aren’t_ supposed to do.” 

“I understand.” Gerard nodded, and he really did. He couldn’t imagine harbouring such a large secret; something that would impact on the lives of a whole community, and then daring to trust someone else with it. He was incredibly grateful that Frank had trusted him enough to tell him, and he wanted nothing more than to prove to him that he hadn’t made the wrong decision.

“I know it was hard for you to tell me the truth.” He continued to speak, handing Frank his wine again. “And it was hard for me to take in too… But seeing you in the water earlier it… I don’t know. It just felt amazing Frankie. It felt like I’d been waiting for that my whole life, and now I know that merpeople exist, I don’t want anyone else to know. I want it to be our secret; something special just for us, ya know?”

Gerard blushed slightly at his own words, only too aware that he sounded ridiculous but he had needed to say it. Frank didn’t look embarrassed though, instead he smiled warmly and nodded, taking hold of one of Gerard’s hands and squeezing softly. He sipped his wine, enjoying the buzz it created in his head.

“Thank you Gerard.” He smiled, cuddling up against the artist’s side and sharing a soft kiss with him. “I felt that way too… I don’t think I would have told anyone else, no matter how much I trusted them. I only wanted to tell you. You make me feel really special.” Frank blushed slightly, but continued to smile as Gerard gave a dreamy sigh and kissed him lovingly again.

“Mm… Listen to us, we’re starting to sound like an old black and white movie.” Gerard chuckled, picking up his glass of wine again and sipping from it as Frank smiled curiously. He knew what a black and white movie was but he didn’t fully understand Gerard’s reference, but he didn’t ask him to explain. 

“Mm, talking of movies let’s put one on.” The artist added, grinning as he got up to do just that and Frank smiled as he watched him. 

It was almost strange how natural things still were between them even though the truth had been revealed. Frank was still able to curl up against Gerard as the movie played, and he was still able to kiss him softly whenever he couldn’t resist any longer. The wine was new, but Frank was actually beginning to really enjoy it. By the time the movie had ended the two men had finished the whole bottle, and though Gerard seemed mostly fine, Frank was feeling strange. 

Gerard suggested that the two of them move to the bedroom as Frank’s eyelids drooped, but when they got up to walk there Frank promptly fell down to the floor. 

“Frankie!?” Gerard gasped, quickly scooping the shorter man up and planting him back on his feet. At first he was worried, but when he saw the comical look of astonishment on Frank’s face he couldn’t help but fall about into a fit of laughter.   
“Hey! Hey don’t laugh at me! I don’t know what just happened.” Frank whimpered, his words slurring slightly and Gerard snorted with laughter as he wrapped an arm around Frank’s waist. 

“I think you’re drunk Frankie.” He laughed heartily, unable to walk whilst he was weakened by his laughing. The merman just looked at him, confused, giggling a little himself though he really didn’t know why he was. He had never been drunk before, or anywhere near it, and so he relied heavily on Gerard to help him into the bedroom.

Frank didn’t know if he was struggling to walk because it was an already unnatural thing for him to do, or whether it was because of the wine he had drank. Either way Gerard’s laughter wasn’t helping; it felt like it took them forever to make into the bedroom and once they finally had Frank flung himself immediately onto the bed.

Gerard chuckled as he joined the younger man atop the sheets, his laughter dying down until he was only grinning as Frank rolled slowly over onto his side to look at him. For a minute neither man said anything, they just gazed at each other and found themselves gravitating towards one another. It seemed that the same idea was passing through their minds, even in his somewhat drunken state Frank was following Gerard’s more sober thoughts perfectly and neither really had to think about it before they were leaning in to each other to share a soft kiss. 

Gerard sighed in quiet delight as his lips met Franks, this kiss seeming more important than any they had already shared. Even Frank seemed to be feeling it and he mewled softly as he slid closer to the artist and wrapped his arms loosely around him. Gerard eagerly returned the embrace and tightened his arms around Frank’s middle, pressing their bodies together. 

Frank sighed and smiled into the kiss, lifting his hands to tangle into Gerard’s hair and tug gently as he eagerly pushed his tongue into Gerard’s mouth. Their fooling around had boosted his confidence and experience a little, but the added alcohol in the mix made him more confident than ever and he caught Gerard by surprise as he deepened the kiss and practically rolled Gerard over. 

“Mmph…” Gerard’s eyes opened wide for a moment before closing again and he sighed as he relaxed onto his back and pulled Frank on top of him, eagerly rubbing his tongue against his lovers. A hand dipped down to rest on Frank’s backside, squeezing gently as they both got lost in passionate kisses. The sexual tension between them was never not present, but now it was thicker than ever and Gerard didn’t know if he’d be content with just fooling around tonight. Not after Frank’s revelation that morning and the taste of wine now on his tongue.

Frank sighed and groaned a little as he leant into Gerard more, kissing him hard and deep as his hands fisted through his hair. He thought fleetingly how wine was now his new favourite thing. He was sober enough to understand it was the alcohol that was making him feel so at ease in taking charge and he was having a great time as he sucked at Gerard’s lower lip and rubbed his hips down over the artist’s.

Gerard gasped as denim bit into each other from the friction of their hips, his cock beginning to swell already. It felt forbidden to be doing this with a tipsy Frank and yet he couldn’t stop. He knew that Frank had wanted this for some time now, and so had he, but he had been determined to take things slow. He was still determined… but how slow did they have to go, really? They had already explored each other numerous times, he reasoned, perhaps pushing things a little further wouldn’t be too bad.

“Mmm… Frankie… Frankie ah… You’re making me hard.” He warned quietly, his voice husky. He tipped his head back as Frank continued to kiss him eagerly, his lips sliding down to kiss and bite at his jaw when he moved and he gave a soft hum of delight against Gerard’s skin.

“Me too…” He growled, his words substantially less slurred due to his arousal. He rubbed his hips over Gerard’s again to accentuate his point, his hardened cock rubbing over Gerard’s and causing both men to gasp lustily. 

Frank’s head was still lighter than usual, but he definitely knew what he wanted. He was even more eager than Gerard, kissing and sucking hungrily at his neck and throat to leave a trail of marks down to his collarbone. The alcohol gave him the courage to go ahead and do what he wanted without worrying about it. He was getting better at not worrying he was going to do something abnormal, but now those thoughts didn’t even cross his mind. The only thing he could think about was how good it felt to rub against Gerard and to suck at his skin.

Gerard sighed and squeezed his eyes shut, groaning quietly as Frank worked down his body. The younger man had been completely naïve to any kind of sexual advances when they had first started fooling around, but he was definitely a quick learner. He was finding spots on Gerard’s body the artist had never known were so sensitive and he eagerly helped Frank tug off his shirt before relaxing down again. 

This was the first time Frank had ever attempted to take control and Gerard was more than happy to just relax and enjoy the way Frank was exploring his body. He had taught him as much as he could without actually having sex, assuring him that he was up for anything Frank wanted to do. Now that he knew Frank was a merman he could understand why the younger man had ever been anxious in the first place, but Gerard was sure there was nothing Frank would try that would turn him away.

“Mm… Mm… Gee, you make me feel so good.” Frank growled, his cock fully erect and aching in his jeans as he kissed hungrily down to one of Gerard’s nipples and sucked it into his mouth. He delighted in the sharp gasp he received because of it and lathed his tongue over the rosy nub which grew firm in his mouth. He had already discovered that teasing Gerard’s nipples produced good results and he took his time in licking and sucking gently on each one as his fingertips slid down his flat stomach.

Gerard could do nothing but sigh and breathe heavily, his fingers scratching at the bed sheets as his cock throbbed in his jeans. For someone with such little experience Frank really knew what he was doing. He kissed down Gerard’s stomach slowly, taking his time and mumbling over how good he felt as he continued to rub his hips against him.

As Frank shuffled down his rolling hips went with him, and soon he was rubbing against Gerard’s thigh and then his calves as his teeth nipped along his midriff. Feeling Frank’s cock, hot and demanding, against his leg was making Gerard even more turned on and he whimpered in need as Frank finally pulled open his jeans and his cock bulged through the opening. Frank mouthed at the shaft through his underwear, Gerard lifting his hips so that he could pull his jeans down his legs.

Frank pulled back long enough to yank Gerard’s jeans off him completely and toss them to the floor and then remove his own shirt before he fell back onto him, his mouth pressing hungrily to his erection once more. He lathed his tongue over the cotton of his underwear, inhaling deeply to breathe in Gerard’s musky scent before hooking his fingers into the waist band of his underwear and tugging.

Gerard sighed and lifted his hips again as Frank pulled the briefs over his erection and then down his legs. So far Gerard had given Frank a blowjob but had never received one back, and the thought that Frank was going to give it a go was making his head swim heavily. He tried to open his mouth to assure him that he didn’t have to if he didn’t want to, but his throbbing cock wouldn’t let him speak and he felt like it was fairly obvious what Frank wanted anyway…

Frank sat back on his haunches to drop Gerard’s underwear onto the floor and then he paused, just stopping a moment so that he could look down over Gerard’s body. One of his favourite things to do was examine Gerard all over, just so intrigued by his body. No amount of staring in the mirror at his own human form could compare to how it felt to look at Gerard naked, especially when he was hard and wanting like this. It gave Frank a heady sense of satisfaction and his mouth practically watered as he leant down and licked a long stripe up the underside of Gerard’s erection.

The artist inhaled sharply and struggled to repress a groan, his body on fire. His hands shook and clung to the bed sheets as Frank licked slowly all over his shaft, taking his time in exploring every inch and getting used to the different textures and tastes. 

Frank had never really imagined that doing this with his mouth could feel so good, but Gerard had already shown him how amazing it felt and he wanted desperately to make Gerard feel that good too. His intrigue over this very human appendage helped his enthusiasm and he was quick to wrap his hand around the base and lift Gerard’s cock so he could suck the head into his mouth.

Gerard gasped and arched his back, struggling not to buck his hips as Frank sucked heartily at his tip and then began to slide down his shaft; mimicking what Gerard had done to him. It had been years since Gerard had done this, and he couldn’t think of anyone he would rather have kneeling between his legs. Even though he knew this was the first time Frank had done this it did nothing to limit his arousal; in fact it just made it increase even more.

Frank concentrated hard as he swallowed as much of Gerard into his mouth as he could. He only managed to take in half before he could feel his throat trying to close up and make him gag. He pulled off slightly, disappointed he couldn’t take in more but what he could fit in he licked and sucked for all he was worth.

“O – Oh God…” Gerard breathed quietly, pressing one of his hands into his hair as his cock throbbed. What Frank couldn’t get into his mouth he rubbed with his hand, his tongue swirling around the head and his cheeks hollowed. The myriad of sensations was making Gerard feel incredibly close and he moaned soft words of encouragement to let Frank know he was doing well.

Frank sighed and hummed softly, spurred on by Gerard’s moaning and words and he sucked harder around his cock. Pre cum had started to ooze onto his tongue and though the taste was stronger and much stranger than he had been expecting he was determined not to let it put him off. If he could get used to coffee and wine, he could get used to this too.

Gerard though had other ideas and he groaned softly as he gently cupped Frank’s cheek and pulled him away from his erection. 

Frank let him slip from his lips with an obscene slurp, his eyes bright as he look up at Gerard in confusion. He smiled slowly, licking his lips and hoping he had done okay. He had been content to carry on but he was eager to see why Gerard had stopped him. 

“Mm… What’s wrong?” He asked softly, stroking Gerard’s thighs as the older man sat up and shook his head.

“Nothing… God, nothing. That was amazing, but I don’t want to cum like that.” Gerard’s words came out deep and husky and Frank felt positively dizzy. He was sure all of the blood in his head had disappeared into his cock, Gerard’s voice alone was enough to make him feel close to climax. 

“How do you want to cum?” He asked breathlessly, practically whimpering when Gerard leant forward and took hold of him, wrapping him up in his arms and not saying anything before he was kissing him hard and deep. Frank gasped and struggled to keep up, his hips jerking forward on instinct. His head swam with relief when Gerard moved his hands down and scrabbled at his jeans, yanking them open and quickly pushing them, along with Frank’s underwear, down his legs.

Frank sighed and shivered at the feeling of Gerard’s hands sliding over his backside, his cock weeping pre cum onto Gerard’s thigh as he leant against him for support. He wanted to ask what he was planning but he couldn’t say a single word. He wasn’t sure he had ever felt so turned on, he wasn’t sure how their evening had led to this but he didn’t want it to stop.

Gerard kept his hands planted on Frank’s ass, kneading and squeezing as he kissed him hard in the centre of the bed. They knelt for a while, but it wasn’t long before neither had any strength left and they collapsed in a tangle of limbs and hot, desperate kisses.

Gerard wanted to fuck Frank. He wanted it so bad he could barely think of anything else. But though he didn’t think Frank was acting this way because of the wine he knew he couldn’t let their first time together be influenced in anyway by alcohol and so he reluctantly pushed any ideas of sex out of his mind. Trying to think of something else to do though was proving difficult when he had just one thing on his mind, as such their kissing seemed to last for hours before Gerard finally made a move.

When Gerard finally rolled Frank onto his back the younger man was feeling dizzy and his lips swollen from all their heated kissing. He had been rubbing up against Gerard the whole time and had smeared pre cum over his hip and thigh. He was desperate for release and so was Gerard; he wasted no time in lying atop Frank and wrapping his hand around both of their erections so that they lined up against each other.

Frank sighed and moaned softly, closing his eyes and bucking his hips up eagerly as Gerard began to thrust his hips. He kept his movements slow and precise, pressing down hard to keep friction against their erections as the shafts slid together with each movement of his hips. Their pre cum served as a crude lubricant and the much needed friction came as a blessing for both of them.

“Ooh…” Frank sighed, his soft voice making Gerard’s cock throb as he thrust hard and slow, panting and moaning quietly himself. His spine was tingling and he was still fired up from his earlier blowjob, making his rhythm stutter and falter every time a particularly strong wave of pleasure washed over him. 

Beneath him Frank too was beyond himself, his legs widening and his hips bucking as he sought orgasm. He groaned and flattened his hands to Gerard’s back, scratching gently as he gripped at his shoulders and sank his teeth into his neck. He was being driven wild by the delicious friction, but it just wasn’t enough. He whimpered and moaned, bucking his hips more and more and soon he was rutting wildly against Gerard, so desperate for release he was barely aware of the way Gerard was moaning and panting harshly against him.

Frank’s writhing body was doing something to Gerard he could barely stand. The head of his cock was pulsing and weeping cum and he knew he wouldn’t be able to hold on much longer. He was quickly proven right, one last squeeze of his hand around their erections brining him over the edge and he cried out loudly as he came hard across Frank’s stomach.

The merman gasped and bucked his hips violently, his eyes fluttering open half way before closing again as he realised what was happening. Knowing that Gerard was currently cumming against him just made Frank feel even hotter and he scrabbled at the older man’s back, whining and moaning his name over and over as he rubbed against him and delighted in the feeling of each spurt of cum against his abdomen.

Gerard felt as though he was cumming for an age; by the time he had given his last drop he felt like he could just collapse but he forced himself to move. Frank was still fully erect, his engorged cock red and throbbing angrily. He was whimpering with need and Gerard couldn’t wait to bring him relief.

Gerard slid down Frank’s body quickly, not wanting to leave him hanging. He licked some of his cum away from his stomach before quickly sucking his cock into his mouth. At the same time he moved two fingers down, brushing over his perineum before teasing over his anus.

Frank gasped and moaned wantonly, his legs spreading even more and he bent them up at the knee to give Gerard more access. He knew that gay sex would mean someone would be having the other inside them _there_ but up until then Frank hadn’t considered about it being him. In his lust filled state though the sensation of Gerard’s fingers just rubbing and circling around the outside was incredibly welcome and soon enough he was cumming with a desperate cry into the artist’s mouth.

Gerard hummed softly and eagerly swallowed down all that Frank had to give. He didn’t push his fingers inside of him, not wanting to alarm him at all, but he felt as though they had taken another large step by Gerard even touching him there. Frank certainly seemed to like the contact, Gerard barely able to swallow the amount of cum spurting on his tongue before Frank finally slumped onto the sheets with a long sigh.

Gerard slowly pulled off Frank’s softening erection, licking his lips and smirking slightly as he gazed at the younger man. Frank looked exhausted and boneless and Gerard was only too happy to collapse beside him and take him in his arms.

“Mmm…” Frank smiled weakly and lifted a hand to rest on Gerard’s, too breathless to speak. For a long while the two men just relaxed together, Frank’s thumb sweeping back and forth on Gerard’s hand as a gentle touch of intimacy. 

After they had regained their breath and their heads had levelled out Gerard had just enough energy to pull the duvet over them and turn to spoon Frank from behind before both men fell into deep, restful sleeps.

xXx

“So after nine months they just come back up here and give birth?” 

“Pretty much.” 

“But what if they don’t get here on the right day? What if the baby comes late, or early? I mean… No baby is born _exactly_ nine months later… I mean, right?”

“Maybe not in the human world.” Frank chuckled sleepily, his eyes closed as he lay facing Gerard, their naked bodies entwined. “But for us labour can’t start until the human form has been resumed. I don’t know if it would harm the baby to wait longer than nine months because no one’s ever tried it, but the mermaid will go back on land when its time and turning into a human induces the labour… Other mermaids go too of course, to help… the women lay so that they’re on land but close enough to the water so that when the baby is born it can be moved straight into the sea. We’re born with our tails and gills, so we can’t breathe on land. We can’t take on human forms until we reach sexual maturity.”

“Wow…” Gerard breathed, gazing over Franks shoulder with a thoughtful gaze. “I can’t believe that’s been going on for all these centuries and no one’s ever noticed.”

Frank giggled and nodded, mumbling something about humans being unobservant but he was mostly drifting in and out of sleep. He had slept right through the night after his incredible orgasm, and he and Gerard had had round two that morning. Frank was no ready to drift back to sleep once more, just for a little while before breakfast, but Gerard was more interested in learning about merpeople than sleeping. 

In his sleepy state Frank was happy to answer any questions, hardly having to think about anything he was saying. He was warm and content, and his mouth was running on its own.

“When we first met, and you taught me how to paint,” Gerard continued to speak, idly stroking Frank’s back as the younger man relaxed. “You told me the different names of the fins… Do all merpeople have the same colour tails?”

“Hm? No of course not.” Frank laughed quietly, smiling as he snuggled closer to Gerard and nuzzled his face into his chest. “We mm... We all have different colours. Bold colours though. The colour of our scales is always rich and deep, and then our fins are more translucent.” He sighed softly, smiling as Gerard’s hand on his back soothed him. 

“We all have the caudal fin, and then either all of the pelvic and dorsal fins or just a selection of the three. Some of us have fish patterns too… I know a great mermaid with the tail of an Ocellaris.” He purred softly, Gerard raising his eyebrows in surprise. 

“A clownfish?” He gasped, trying to imagine a beautiful mermaid with such a tail and he immediately knew he wanted to paint one like that. Frank nodded weakly against his chest, obviously close to drifting asleep. 

“That’s amazing… So all these old time paintings of mermaids having plain grey tails are wrong then?” Gerard chuckled, not surprised that people used to think mermaids had the normal tail of a common grey fish. Frank snorted and nodded, yawning against his chest. 

“Mhmm… They were probably just getting confused with Sirens.” He mumbled, Gerard frowning slightly. 

“Sirens?”

“Yeah… They look like mermaids… But their tails are longer than ours, and they only have a caudal fin.” Frank purred, it never crossing his mind that he was revealing too much. “Their tails are all one colour, their fins translucent like ours. They only get either gold, silver, white or bronze tails though. I don’t really know why… The legend of their existence says it’s because those colours make humans think of treasure, and sex and treasure were what tempted sailors most. And everyone knows Sirens are all about seducing sailors so they can drown them...” 

“Oh…” Gerard mumbled softly, looking at Frank with wide eyes but the younger man didn’t notice, too busy falling asleep. “Do Sirens still drown sailors?” He asked softly, trying to sound casual as he continued to stroke Frank’s back, the merman nodding.

“Mm… Course… But it’s hard for them now because of the size of ships so they try to snatch them off small fishing and sailing boats instead.” He purred, soon drifting to sleep without another word when Gerard didn’t ask him anymore. 

Frank’s soft snores began to fill the room but instead of smiling at how cute he was Gerard lay stock still, feeling stunned. He didn’t know if Frank would realise what he had just revealed to him, but suddenly the mystery of the disappearing sailors was beginning to become a lot clearer.

xXx

Jamia sighed as she lay on her front on the ocean floor, her face sad as she looked at Bob who was lying opposite her. Rumours had been drifting through the small town about the presence of some Sirens not too far off, and finally some scouts had been sent out to confirm it. Now that everyone knew it was true they were under strict rules not to leave the boundaries of the town and to call an alarm if any Sirens were spotted coming too close… The town was in an uproar, but Jamia just felt sad.

“Bob… What if Frank tries to come back and they catch him?” She asked quietly, not looking into the blonde man’s eyes as she drew patterns in the sand with her finger. “It feels like everything is against us…”

“Jay…” Bob sighed, gently touching her hand. “Frank hasn’t come back yet… I don’t think he’s going to come back at all.” He tried to sound gentle and consoling, but honestly he had said this so many times now he knew that it wasn’t going to upset Jamia anymore than usual. It hurt them both to consider giving up on Frank, it was hard enough simply having to wait and hope he’d return, but even hoping seemed too much now. 

“It hasn’t been two months yet, he still has time.” Jamia reminded Bob quietly, still not looking at him. She refused to give up hope, she still looked up every time a shadow past her to see if it was Frank returning. As impossible as it seemed she had to believe he would return, he couldn’t be dead… But now that the Sirens were here Jamia wasn’t sure if Frank would be able to make it into the town even if he did get into the ocean.

“I suppose…” Bob mumbled, though if he was being honest he had given up hope for Frank for a week now. “I guess we’ll just see.”

“But the Sirens, you don’t think they’ll stop Frank from getting home do you?” Jamia pushed, turning her gaze on Bob at last. “Why are they here at all? I thought they lived much deeper in the ocean.”

“They did.” Bob sighed, not sure himself why they were so close now. “But I don’t think they’d stop Frank reaching us. They’re dangerous, yes, but they’re more interested in humans than mermen.” He pointed out, though he really didn’t see why it mattered. Frank was gone, it was obvious as far as Bob was concerned. 

“Oh I really hope so.” Jamia groaned, sighing as she rubbed her hand over the sand to get rid of the patterns she had drawn. “I almost feel like we should try and go back on land and look for him again.”

“Oh Jamia not this again.” Bob groaned, rubbing a hand over his eyes as he shook his head. He could understand why Jamia wanted to go, it was hard to move on without knowing whether Frank was even alive or dead, but Bob couldn’t let Jamia risk her own life to find out. 

“Look… I know you want to find Frank, and so do I… But you know it’s no use. We’ll only end up getting into trouble again and we’ll never find him. You just have to believe he’ll find his way back.” Bob gently held onto Jamia’s hand, feeling bad for being so hypocritical as to tell her to keep faith barely moments after telling her it was no use; he just couldn’t bear to see her so upset. He wished with all his heart that Frank would return to them, but now the Sirens were around the town’s safety was more important. 

“It’s hard though Bob.” Jamia sighed, leaning up onto her elbows and then pushing up off the floor to swim back to the town. “I just can’t rest until he comes home…”


	11. Chapter Eleven

The day began for Gerard with more news of missing sailors. 

Frank was asleep, naked and tangled up in bed sheets still. Or he had been when Gerard had left him. Their morning had been just as enjoyable as the night before, and whilst Frank caught up on some extra sleep Gerard had got out of bed to shower and prepare breakfast to take to his lover.

Gerard had turned on the radio to dance along to whilst he made Frank’s ever favourite pancakes, but he had been distracted when the midday news had come on and more reports of missing sailors were read out. It was starting to sound like a bad joke, just the same old report where only the names of the missing changed. But that wasn’t the main thing that had caused Gerard to stand back with a dazed expression, forgetting about the batter starting to burn in the pan.

Like a brick to the face Gerard suddenly remembered the sleepy conversation he had had with Frank that morning before the merman had fallen back to sleep. Gerard himself had dozed for a little while, but no more than half an hour before he had woken up properly. He couldn’t believe that alone had caused the words to disappear from his mind until then.

The little Frank had told him about Siren’s created a perfect solution to the mystery of the men disappearing from their boats. Frank hadn’t seemed concerned as he had talked about the strange sea creatures, and Gerard couldn’t be sure whether Frank had suspicions that the Sirens were behind what was happening or whether he simply hadn’t clicked. Gerard himself though was already almost certain that Frank had unwittingly revealed the truth to him.

Sliding the frying pan off the stove Gerard hurried out to the living room to pick up his laptop from the floor. He rarely used the machine, it was getting old and a little slow but it was still reliable. He only ever used it to order new art supplies when he couldn’t find what he wanted in the nearby store, or to watch porn on those especially lonely nights. 

For once though the heavy slab of a computer was being used for something actually important and Gerard’s heart was in his mouth as he opened up a search engine and typed in the word ‘Sirens’. 

Gerard glanced up and listened intently, making sure that there was no sign of Frank waking up before he turned to the screen and began to scroll down the list of links that had been brought up. The first few were useless, links to a TV show, a movie and even a band. But then a website on Greek mythology appeared and Gerard clicked on it eagerly.

If the artist had been expecting to find some sort of useful information he was sorely disappointed. The Siren’s depicted in Greek mythology weren’t even aquatic creatures, let alone mermaids. They were half woman and half bird, nothing at all like he had been expecting. The only similarities to Frank’s story was that they lured sailors to their death. These bird Siren’s by their song, though Gerard had assumed the aquatic Sirens used simple seduction.

Gerard pressed the back button and moved on, but every page seemed to come up with the same thing. Strange, Grecian bird ladies who sat on islands and rocks in the sea but never in the water. Could Frank be wrong then? Had he simply been talking nonsense because he was so tired? Or could Gerard simply not trust these myths and tales; after all it was all believed to be nothing more than fairy tales now, yet he had a merman in his bed. And Frank wasn’t exactly like a merman stereotype as far as human tales went.

Gerard sighed and considered for a moment before refining his search to ‘siren mermaids’ and trying again. This time he found a few obscure texts about seductive mermaids who lured soldiers to their deaths, but only in comprehensive lists of ‘mermaid species’ which seemed to be written by crazy people rather than anyone who knew what they were talking about. Though Gerard supposed he was now one of those crazy people, now that he truly believed merpeople existed.

Gerard searched and read up on the strange aquatic beauties for an hour, but when he finally admitted defeat and closed the laptop down he didn’t feel any more informed. It was clear that the only thing he could do was speak to Frank about it again when he was properly awake.

Gerard wasn’t looking forward to trying to broach the subject with his lover, so he walked back into the kitchen to try and salvage the pancakes. At least giving Frank good food would make him happy, and hopefully more inclined to talk.

As the fresh pancake batter cooked in the pan Gerard sliced bananas and pulled a bottle of butterscotch sauce from the cupboard. He knew Frank preferred drinking tea to coffee so he boiled the kettle while placing a mug for himself beneath the drip on the coffee machine. He wasn’t sure why he was feeling nervous all of a sudden; Frank was too sweet, too kind hearted to get angry at him when he brought up the issue with the Sirens. Perhaps his nerves were simply brought on by the fact he so desperately wanted to impress the merman, and that he couldn’t bear to do anything that might jeopardise what was fast becoming a real relationship.

Gerard considered his feelings as he made the breakfast, building pancake stacks on the two plates he had laid out on the side. It was obvious that he liked Frank… Liked him a lot. There was certainly an element of lust involved that seemed to blend nicely with the softer feelings he had felt for Frank since the first day they met. 

At first it had simply been the kindness of one stranger to another. That had become concern, and then care, and then gradually friendship. Now though Gerard could feel that it was becoming something else and fast. To say he was smitten was fine; safe even. He could admit to being smitten with Frank with no problem, but to consider that he might be in love was difficult. Being in love with a merman was just too complicated.

Thinking about the L word was making Gerard feel positively sick and so he quickly pushed it out of mind. With the breakfast completed he had other things to worry about and so he focused on carrying the plates and mugs back through to the bedroom where Frank was still fast asleep in the bed. 

Frank awoke with a smile as Gerard gently coaxed him out of his dreams. He rubbed his eyes, yawned and stretched before blinking sleepily up at the artist, his lips curving immediately into a soft grin as he shuffled up into a sitting position. 

“Gee… hey…” He purred, his voice husky from sleep. “I didn’t sleep too long did I?” He looked about with dopey eyes, trying to figure out what the time was and whether he had just wasted a whole day in bed or not. Gerard was fully dressed, so it was clear he had been awake for some time.

“It’s almost afternoon.” Gerard smirked, finding Frank utterly adorable in his naked, just woken up state. “I thought you could do with a lie in.” He passed Frank one of the plates of pancakes and put his tea down on the bedside table next to him. “I brought you breakfast…” He added, as if Frank couldn’t already tell.

“Gee…” Frank cooed, his grin widening as he looked at the plate that had been placed in his lap and his stomach growled its appreciation. “Thank you so much for this, it looks amazing.” He sighed, eagerly accepting the cutlery handed to him and he wasted no time in tucking straight in.

Gerard smiled and shrugged, insisting it was nothing as he sat cross legged in front of Frank. He ate a mouthful of his own pancakes and speared a slice of banana onto his fork, watching Frank eat with growing anxiety. He didn’t imagine Sirens made good breakfast talk, but he had to ask Frank soon or he would explode. His need to understand what was going on to the missing sailors was overshadowing everything else.

If Gerard was giving any signs that he wasn’t himself then Frank hadn’t noticed them. Despite having only just woken up Frank’s appetite was as healthy as ever and he was eagerly ploughing through his pancake stack feeling on top of the world. He hadn’t forgotten their activities that morning or the night before, though he had forgotten all his sleepy talk about Sirens. The thought that something could be wrong on such a perfect morning never passed his mind.

Gerard tried to eat more of his breakfast, but each mouthful just made him feel even sicker as he watched Frank and waited for a good moment to bring up his concerns. In the end though he simply lay down his knife and fork and looked at Frank with anxious eyes. 

“Frankie I… Do you remember what we talked about earlier?”

“Hm?” Frank looked up at Gerard with a mouth full of pancake, his cheeks slightly swollen from the food he was chewing and his eyes alight with curiosity. There was no recognition on his features and Gerard sighed as he realised Frank had forgotten. 

“About… The Sirens?”

Franks eyes widened slightly and he struggled to finish chewing and swallowing the wad of pancake in his mouth. Once he was able to speak he found that he didn’t even know what to say. He struggled to think back to when he had mentioned the Sirens to Gerard, but he could only remember vaguely mumbling something as he fell back to sleep after their fun that morning. 

“I…” Frank hesitated, the look on Gerard’s face doing nothing to help calm the panic rising in his chest. “I don’t really remember it, no.” He admitted quietly, wondering how much he had said and why Gerard was bringing it up now. “What did I uh… What did I say?”

“Nothing much.” Gerard said softly, noticing that Frank was looking a little distressed and his suspicions rose. “Only what they look like, and that they kill sailors.” 

Franks eyes widened even more, his heart starting to race. He suddenly didn’t feel hungry anymore and he put his plate down carefully on the bed beside him. 

“Oh…” Frank didn’t really know what to say in response. He couldn’t figure out what Gerard was thinking or feeling, but he was filling up with dread himself. It was clear that Gerard was bringing this up for a reason, and Frank wasn’t sure he wanted to know what it was.

“I just… It got me thinking.” It was clear Frank wasn’t going to say anything else, so Gerard decided to cut to the chase. “Another sailor has gone missing this morning and I just thought… Well, maybe it’s crazy of me. But I wondered if it’s possible that Sirens could be behind all these disappearances…” 

For a second Frank’s head span so violently he felt almost sure that he was going to faint. Hearing Gerard say those words made his stomach heave as if it was going to expel his half eaten breakfast, but after a few seconds for the shock to wear off Frank was able to come back to his senses and calm down enough to meet Gerard’s gaze. He tried to open his mouth to deny Gerard’s theory, but the look of guilt on his face gave him away before he could utter a single word. 

“Oh no… Oh God… I’m right aren’t I?” Gerard’s eyes widened in horror as he looked at Frank’s expression. It was obvious that he had hit the nail on the head and he wasn’t sure how to react. All though he had been practically certain his suspicions were right it was another thing entirely to have them confirmed. “How long have you known?”

Frank stared at Gerard, his lips parted but he couldn’t speak. His mind had gone into turmoil. Not only had he revealed himself to Gerard, he had now caused him to realise that other mythical creatures existed and not only that, but that they were entwined with the human world more dangerously than anyone knew. Frank was breaking every rule he was supposed to live by, and now he had to choose between whether to be honest with this man he cared so much about, or to lie to him.

“Frank,” Gerard groaned, sensing Frank’s tension and reluctance to answer him. “How long have you known?”

“I… Just before the first disappearance I went into the sea.” Frank could feel a heavy lump aching in his throat, and to his surprise tears began to build in his eyes as he watched the many emotions passing over Gerard’s face. “My tail used to appear in the shower but it stopped… you’d gone to sell some of your art and I… I panicked.

“I went to the harbour without really thinking. I don’t know, maybe it was instinct, but I just had to know if I could never return to the sea again. So I went there, and I went swimming and my tail came back. But I knew then it would only appear in salt water until eventually I would be unable to return to the sea at all.” Frank sighed, bowing his head as he wrapped his arms around himself.

“I was frightened. I didn’t know what to do. I was trying to make my mind up whether I should come back to the surface or to just stay in the sea when a Siren appeared.” Frank looked up at Gerard then, his eyes pleading with him to understand. “Sirens live deep in the ocean, I had never seen one before then. I had no idea they were so close to the harbour until that moment. I was afraid at first, but she didn’t harm me. She told me they had come closer to land because they couldn’t get sailors off the huge ships that went further out to sea. They had to take from the smaller boats further in instead. 

“I didn’t stick around to talk to her. Sirens are dangerous even for merpeople, so I swam away first chance I got. I came back here because I knew I couldn’t leave you without saying goodbye, and I still have just under two months before I won’t be able to return to the sea. I thought I wouldn’t have to worry about the Siren ever again, but as soon as the sailors started to disappear I knew it must be them.”

“Them? So there’s more than one?” Gerard asked quietly, barely able to take in all Frank had told him. His mind was conjuring up a million questions about Frank’s tail and what he meant by having only two months left. He guessed it meant Frank wouldn’t be staying around but such a concept was impossible for him to even consider right then.

“Of course,” Frank spoke gently, trying to soothe Gerard who was clearly starting to freak out. “They live in large groups like merpeople do. They’ll have set up a… A town I suppose. Only a few miles out to sea.” 

“And they’re the ones taking the sailors from their boats?” Gerard already knew the answer, but it was the last question he had that wouldn’t hurt him to ask so he asked it.

“I think so.” Frank nodded quietly, his eyes glistening as he held back tears. “I have no proof but it would make sense.” It was obvious that Gerard was now avoiding the more important problem at hand and Frank felt incredibly nervous as he waited for him to ask the inevitable. 

“And you… You need to leave in two months?” Gerard’s voice started strong, but half way through the question his voice broke and grew breathy as he stared at Frank with pained eyes. 

Frank didn’t think he could cope seeing such a look of hurt on the artist’s face. He sighed and picked up the two plates of food still on the bed and put them on the bedside table so that he could crawl closer to Gerard and gently touch his hands. 

“If I don’t go back in two months then I will be a human permanently. I’ll never be able to return to the sea.” He explained softly, trying to keep calm and strong but he had never felt so close to breaking down. “If I go back to the sea within the two months once I’ve been in the water for twelve hours I won’t be able to return to the land for another year when the mating season comes back round.” 

Gerard nodded slowly, thinking over that and trying to keep rationale. But being rationale was difficult when he felt like his heart had been ripped from his chest and stamped on. 

“So… Either you stay here with me forever or you… leave me for a year?” He asked quietly, knowing it would be ridiculous of him to think Frank would choose him. Why would he when after a year he could come back anyway? He wouldn’t give up all of the people he knew in the sea for Gerard. 

“Basically…” Frank nodded, feeling awful. He hadn’t wanted to tell Gerard about the choice he had to make. He had wanted longer to make his mind up about what he was going to do and only tell Gerard if and when he decided to leave. Honesty seemed to be the best policy though, although it was making him cry as he crawled into Gerard’s lap and desperately clung to him.

“I don’t want to leave you Gerard… You’ve been so good to me, and I care for you more than anyone else in the world.” He insisted, hiding his face in Gerard’s neck as the older man numbly rubbed his back. “But I have so many people I care about in the sea too, people who don’t even know if I’m alive or dead. I can’t not go back to them and tell them I’m okay… but I can’t bear the thought of being away from you for a whole year.”

“I’d wait for you.” Gerard spoke up without any hesitation, not even having to think about it before the words were out of his mouth. As he thought about it he knew that he was being honest. He would wait for Frank. He would wait forever if he had to. No one could ever be as important to him as this fantastic, beautiful creature. And that’s when he realised that he really, truly did love Frank.

The realisation didn’t hit Gerard like a wrecking ball. It didn’t suddenly dawn on him. It was something he realised now he had known all along, but right in that moment it came from the back of his mind to the front and made his heart swell as he calmed down slowly. 

“I would wait.” He repeated softly, feeling sure of himself as he tightened his hold on Frank. He still felt teary, but his emotions no longer felt all over the place. He loved Frank… He would do anything if it meant one day they could be together. “If you leave… A year isn’t that long. I’ve spent enough years without you, I’m sure I can handle one more, as long as you promised to come back.”

Frank looked slowly up at Gerard, his heart starting to race as his lips parted and his insides seemed to melt. He couldn’t believe that Gerard would say something like that to him, and yet he had. And more than that Frank could tell that he meant it too. He had never dreamt he would fall in love with a human and yet… here he was. 

“You would do that for me?” He asked quietly, sighing as Gerard answered him by leaning down and gently capturing his lips in a soft kiss. 

“I love you Frank.” He whispered against his lips. 

“Oh…” Frank practically moaned, wrapping his arms gently around Gerard’s neck and pressing tight to him as he kissed him sweetly back. “I love you too…”

Gerard sighed and smiled, his heart fluttering. It felt incredible to finally admit it, and hearing Frank say it in return banished any doubts out of his mind. He had forgotten all about the Sirens, he no longer cared about anything but the man in his arms. 

For a few minutes both men simply relaxed into each other’s arms and kissed until they felt calm again. Gerard had always thought telling someone you loved them would be more nerve wracking, but the words had come so naturally and Frank’s response so calmly that he had barely felt any more than a tiny nervous flutter in his stomach. Now he simply felt at ease and he relished in the moment.

Frank sighed as they slowly broke the kiss, sharing a soft smile before he lay his head down on Gerard’s shoulder. Admitting that he was in love was just the first step forward into a lot of problems, but he wasn’t going to think of those yet. They still had the Sirens to discuss which Gerard reluctantly brought up again.

“Frankie… We still need to figure out what we’re going to do about the Sirens.” He said gently, stroking Frank’s shoulder as he held him, not wanting to cause an argument or any tension. Part of him wanted to stop talking about the Sirens and just enjoy their day together. Perhaps now would be the perfect moment to have sex for the first time… They could just stay in bed and make love all day. 

Gerard ached to do just that, but his conscience wouldn’t allow him to avoid the more important subject.

“We can’t keep letting them take sailors.” He sighed, looking anxiously at Frank who nodded sadly but refused to meet his gaze.

“I don’t like it Gee, but there isn’t anything we can do.” He mewled sadly, holding one of Gerard’s hands tightly for comfort.

“There must be something.”

“There isn’t.” Frank insisted, looking up at Gerard and meeting his gaze. “If there was I would have tried by now. Sirens are _dangerous_ and I can’t back into the water in case I don’t get back on land in time.”

“Well what about me?” Gerard asked, shrugging when Frank looked at him in clear alarm.

“What _about_ you?” He asked suspiciously.

“Well… I could hire a boat and go out there at night and see if one tries to take me.” He suggested, grinning sheepishly when Frank looked at him like he was mad. “I’m pretty sure no matter how seductive they are I wouldn’t be intoxicated by one.” He chuckled, surprised when Frank scowled. 

“Then you don’t know anything about Sirens.” He said stiffly, turning to face Gerard properly. “They seduce humans. It doesn’t matter if you’re gay or straight or somewhere in the middle. Even I was nearly seduced and I’m a merman.” He snapped, his heart racing and he felt sick at the thought of Gerard doing something as reckless as going out looking for a Siren.

“If they target you then they will kill you. I can’t let you go out there. And what would you even do if you found one? Kill it?” Frank gave a hollow laugh, shaking his head as Gerard blushed. “You can’t kill a hundred Sirens Gerard.” 

“Well I can’t just sit and watch as all the men in the town get snatched away.” He snapped back, squeezing Frank’s hands in an almost apologetic way. “Frank, we know why all those men are disappearing. Hell, we know that they’re dead. Do you suggest we just do nothing?” He demanded.

“I…” Frank sighed, bowing his head and shaking it slowly. “I don’t know Gee. I don’t see any other option. One person can’t take on a whole group of Sirens. You need a group as big as theirs for any hope.” He sighed, thinking for a long moment before gasping. 

“Oh… Oh no…”

“What?” Gerard asked, his eyes wide as he gripped Frank’s hands. “What is it?” 

“It’s obvious…” Frank sighed, groaning as he squeezed his eyes shut. “You can’t tell any more humans about the Sirens. So to have a big enough group to take them on you need merpeople…” Frank opened his eyes slowly, feeling sick as he looked at Gerard. “My town… We could attack the Sirens.”

Gerard stared at Frank, not sure what to say. He didn’t even know how to feel. “I… You mean… When you go back to the sea?”

“Yes.” Frank nodded, thinking about it and knowing he was right. The only way to get the Sirens to leave the humans alone would be to return to the sea and get them to either move on, or kill them. Frank already knew they would be impossible to negotiate with so a fight would be more likely. 

Frank couldn’t imagine anyone in his town agreeing to help him. But he would have a year before he could even return to the human world so he would have plenty of time to try and persuade them. Sirens would torment them too in no time and then something would have to be done. If Frank could get everyone to help him sooner rather than later then maybe they had a chance… but Frank wasn’t sure he would be able to live with himself if anyone got killed. 

“But Frank…” Gerard’s soft voice forced Frank out of his thoughts with a snap. “You don’t leave for another two months. Who knows how many other men will be killed in that time.”

“I know.” Frank sighed, bowing his head as sorrow overwhelmed him. “I would have to leave early. Maybe in a day or two, and just get back to my people and try to persuade them to help me.” 

Frank glanced up at Gerard again to judge his reaction and it was immediately clear he didn’t like what Frank was suggesting. He had gone pale and was shaking his head slowly, his hands gripping tighter to Franks.

“Frankie no… I can’t let you do this. If you go and get hurt I… What if you never came back?” Gerard could barely think it let alone say it. He would wait for Frank, but he couldn’t cope if Frank left and never returned because he had been hurt or worse, killed. “I can’t let you do this.”

“You said yourself we have to do something.” Frank reminded him but Gerard shook his head, pulling Frank into a tight hug and holding him hard to his chest. 

“No.” He said firmly, fear crushing into him. “No I can’t let you. I’d rather have every man in this town get taken than lose you.”

“Gerard!” Frank gasped, pushing back to frown at the artist and slap his hands lightly. “Don’t say that! These men are part of your species, and they need our help. You know it and so do I. I _will_ go. And I’ll do all I can to get the Sirens to leave the town alone and then after a year… if you still want me, I’ll come back.”

“No… No no no, Frank please.” Gerard whispered, tears starting to drip down his cheeks. “You can’t make decisions like this so suddenly.” He insisted, but Frank was stubborn and the more Gerard tried to convince him there had to be another way the more Frank dug his heels in.

“Gerard please.” He finally sighed, cupping Gerard’s face tenderly in his hands. “I _love_ you. I need your support in this… I need you to promise you’ll still be here next year.” He whimpered, holding Gerard’s gaze as the older man searched his eyes.

“Of course I would be.” Gerard whispered, that hardly the worst part. “But if you get hurt –”

“I wouldn’t be.” Frank promised, laying a hand over Gerard’s lips for a second. “I’d make sure of it.” 

Gerard sighed, not convinced. How could Frank promise such a thing? It all seemed so fast, their decisions rash and in need of thinking through but it was clear Frank was determined to leave and try and stop the Sirens himself. Gerard hated the idea still, but he hated the thought of arguing with Frank even more.

“I’ll let you go.” He finally whispered as Frank took his hand away from his mouth. “But promise me you’ll stay here for at least another week… Let me spend time getting to know you as my boyfriend and making love to you, and then when you go I’ll know you’re mine.” He whispered quietly, blushing slightly as he gazed at Frank with hopeful eyes. 

Frank sighed, blushing himself. He could understand the weight of Gerard’s words and what becoming his boyfriend meant in a human world. He smiled warmly, his heart racing as he nodded and struggled to swallow the lump in his throat. “I’m already yours Gee.” He breathed quietly, touching his hands to Gerard’s chest. “But I’ll stay… For one more week.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh the gooey fluffy cliche goodness.
> 
> I just want to thank everyone who has commented on this so far, it is muchly appreciated and I can't thank you all enough. It's been really nerve wracking moving over to this site and you lovely people make it easier so mwaah!  
> xo


	12. Chapter twelve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait guys, there were a few technical hitches with this chapter

There was a ‘no entry’ sign hanging on the gate to the boatyard at the harbour. The boatyard had always been open to the point that Gerard hadn’t even noticed that a gate existed. People were free to walk along the gangways and look at the different boats, just like the owners were free to come and go to use their boat whenever they pleased. Not even when the aftermaths of rare, exceptionally bad tropical storms hit would the boatyard be closed. This was a seafaring town; people were expected to have enough common sense to know when going out into the sea would be a bad idea.

Yet the gates were shut, the boats were inaccessible and barriers were getting put up every evening to stop people approaching the water’s edge whenever night fell.

Many people who owned boats had moved them away, taking them further down the coast to different harbours or putting them into storage until the fear enveloping the town disappeared. The only boats that went out now were the large commercial ships and fishing boats that were owned by the giants of the industries; the sailors given their instructions by men in suits who lived hundreds of miles inland and had probably never worked a day on a ship in their life.

There was a dark sense of foreboding hanging heavy over the town. Sometimes it felt so tangible, so real, Gerard felt that people almost expected to see a black fog sinking over the streets. At other times it just felt ridiculous and frustrating, nothing more than being over superstitious.

Gerard knew the truth though, and he wished that he could tell people. He knew why sailors were going missing; he knew that everyone was right to be afraid, and to lock up their boats and not go into the sea at night. Perhaps once the Sirens started getting frustrated that they couldn’t snatch people at night they might even start doing so in the day instead. 

Gerard didn’t know if they would dare to come so close to the shore that they could take people who were just swimming in the sea. Maybe they would give up and go somewhere else instead. Or maybe they would grow daring and take people from the shallows in broad daylight. Maybe the whole beach would have to be sectioned off. Swimming and sailing would be forbidden. Even the big commercial ships would stop going out there. Everyone would hide from some unseen terror in the waters and the whole place would become a modern myth like the Bermuda triangle.

The harbour which had once been Gerard’s favourite place to visit, the main reason for him moving to the town in fact, was now like something out of his nightmares. He knew that something had to be done to stop the Sirens… He just didn’t want Frank to be the one to do it.

Gerard looked at Frank and sighed, his eyes soft and sad. The younger man was sleeping beside him, curled up to his side and breathing softly against his shoulder. He looked like he didn’t have a care in the world whilst he was sleeping, but Gerard knew he was nervous about returning to the sea.

The two men had discussed Frank’s decision to go back into the ocean in more depth once they had managed to calm their emotions and had had a night together. Gerard still didn’t like it, but Frank was convinced it was the right thing. As long as Gerard promised to wait for him to return the year after, then he was determined to do whatever he could in saving the humans from the Sirens.

Gerard sighed and gently moved his arm from underneath Frank. The merman mumbled quietly and stirred in his sleep, but he soon settled down again when Gerard lay perfectly still. Once it was clear Frank wasn’t going to wake up Gerard slipped out of bed and walked across the dark room and into the living room beyond.

It amazed him that Frank wanted to help the townspeople when really they shouldn’t mean anything to him. Gerard wondered if humans would be so quick to save merpeople if they knew about them; he knew they would… but he wasn’t convinced it would be out of selflessness like Frank. Humans would just want merpeople to survive so they could lock them into laboratories and run them through a million different tests.

Gerard winced at the thought of Frank being kept in some dingy tank with wires going in and out of his arms and knew he would rather die than see that happen. He felt a sudden overwhelming relief that no one suspected the existence of anything like merpeople and prayed that the Siren attacks wouldn’t change that.

Leaning on the windowsill in the living room Gerard cracked the window open and breathed in the cool night air. The crescent moon was bright, not a single cloud to be seen. More stars could be seen here than in the city and Gerard looked up at them all as he lit a cigarette and wondered how he was going to cope when Frank left.

It was strange that Gerard was so in love with someone but couldn’t tell any of his family or friends. He would spend another lonely year to himself, pretending to be single, whilst all the time hoping that his lover would return. It was like a cheap, badly scripted movie. Or something from a Disney film. Why couldn’t he just meet someone and have it be simple? Not that he wanted anyone other than Frank, and he supposed, at least things couldn’t get any more complicated than they already were. 

As Gerard stood smoking, Frank was stirring in the bedroom. He had rolled over to encase himself in Gerard’s arms only to find that the artist wasn’t there. Within moments he had woke enough to sit up and was unsteadily making his way out of the bed and across the floor in search of his lover.

Gerard didn’t notice Frank come into the living room, to busy staring upwards at the stars and inhaling deep lungful’s of cigarette smoke. He was thinking about how now that the harbour was closed hopefully there wouldn’t be any more disappearances for a while. It would be nice to turn the radio on in the morning and not have more names of dead men read out.

Frank’s hands seemed to appear from nowhere to Gerard, causing him to jump as they touched his waist and slid gently up his sides. Frank halted when he realized he had frightened the older man, but then carried on when he had relaxed again.

“What you doing out of bed?” He asked quietly, his voice husky from sleepiness. 

“I was just smoking.” Gerard responded quickly, his heart still hammering from the surprise of Frank’s appearance. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“You didn’t…” Frank whispered, brushing his lips slowly across the back of Gerard’s neck. He was half awake and wanted to fall back into bed and curl up beneath the warm sheets. But he didn’t want to go without Gerard; and now that he was up and holding him he was thinking of other things they could do in bed too.

Gerard smiled weakly and nodded, finishing his cigarette in silence as Frank kissed gently over his neck and shoulders. 

The two men stood quietly together for as long as it took for Gerard to finish smoking. The cool breeze coming through the window made them stand even closer together, enjoying the contrast of warm skin and cold air. Neither spoke, and other than Frank’s soft kissing and Gerard’s lowering and raising of his cigarette, neither moved. The moment was tranquil, and it could have been perfect, if it wasn’t tinged with the knowledge that all too soon Gerard would be at this window again; looking out into the night and wondering where his lover was, and whether he was safe.

Cigarette spent and flicked out of the window, Gerard turned to face Frank and meet him in a chaste kiss. He laid his hands on Frank’s side and smiled at him, feeling sleepy again himself. The cigarette had helped take his nerves off edge, and he felt like he would be able to sleep now.

“Shall we go back to bed?” He whispered softly, brushing a lock of Frank’s hair off his forehead and gently planting a kiss there. Frank smiled and nodded, taking hold of Gerard’s hand and leading him back to bed himself. 

Frank could sense that Gerard was not his usual self. He could understand why, it was obvious that his decision to go back to the sea had been hard on the artist. It was hard for Frank too, he hoped that Gerard understood he had not taken the decision lightly. He wanted nothing more than to be with Gerard, but he couldn’t risk the humans getting any more suspicious about the disappearing sailors. He also couldn’t remain a human permanently without saying goodbye to Jamia and Bob. He sometimes felt like they had probably forgotten him by now, but deep down he knew that wasn’t true, and he knew he owed it to them to let them know he was safe. 

“You know I love you…” Frank whispered, not sure if he meant it as a question or not. There was no doubt in his mind what his feelings were. He was amazed that he hadn’t admitted them long before. It felt like he had always known that he loved Gerard.

“I know.” Gerard sighed, looking down at Frank and smiling softly. His hands came up to rest on the younger man’s back, cupping his shoulder blades and holding him protectively against his chest. “I love you too.”

Frank smiled and leant up to press a soft kiss to Gerard’s lips. He wished he could think of something that would make everything okay; something that would take the sting away from the wound he had inflicted by deciding to leave.

A year would pass quickly for Frank if he was busy trying to fight the Sirens. But he knew that every day would drag like a hundred years for Gerard who would be unable to do anything but wait. 

“You said before you wanted to make love to me?” Frank breathed against Gerard’s lips, still drawing on his chest though it was more to soothe himself now. He had vague ideas of what sex entailed, and he knew making love was just a nicer way of saying sex; but he wasn’t informed enough to understand what would happen and if it would hurt. He wanted to try it though, because he knew Gerard wanted it and he just wanted Gerard to be happy.

“Uhuh…” Gerard was feeling sleepier by the second, but he woke up a little at Frank’s question. He tensed, waiting for Frank to carry on. 

“Why don’t we do it now?” Frank blushed at his proposal, lowering his gaze to watch his finger drawing swirls and circles on Gerard’s clavicle. He didn’t know how humans went about suggesting these kind of things, and he hoped he was following the proper social conventions. Gerard didn’t seem to mind if he had got it wrong though; when he tipped Frank’s face back up his smile was weak but warm and genuine. 

“Are you sure?” Gerard felt like maybe he was too tired, and he was sure Frank was exhausted too. But maybe that’s what they needed. Being sleepy would make them relaxed, and it wouldn’t give their minds chance to race too far ahead or overthink anything. Gerard was happy to go to sleep, but he wouldn’t dream of passing up a chance to feel Frank properly and make him his own.

Frank gazed into Gerard’s warm, honey eyes and smiled as he nodded. He knew he had done the right thing by suggesting this, and he wasn’t going to back out. The little nerves he felt were fast disappearing as Gerard tenderly cupped his face and pulled him up so that their heads were level. He was lying half on Gerard’s chest and half off, and his leg splayed across Gerard’s hip as he closed his eyes and pouted his lips into the kiss Gerard had planted on them.

It had been a long time since Gerard had last had sex, but this he knew was going to be entirely different to any time before. Despite how long he had been eager to touch Frank and how deeply his desires had rooted themselves he forced himself to keep slow. He moved his lips over Frank’s as gently as he could, sucking his lower lip between his teeth for just a second before tracing his tongue over the same spot. 

The two men were tired and their bodies felt warm and relaxed as a result. Frank slumped on top of Gerard and rubbed his hands up and over the artist’s shoulders. Despite the gentle pace he was still always a split second behind in the kissing, following Gerard’s lead and enjoying the feeling of being submitted to Gerard; he was overpowered by him even like this and he loved the feeling of safety it gave him.

Gerard could feel how exhausted Frank was and so gently rolled them over so that he was on top instead. Just the knowledge that no boundaries stood between them anymore was enough to have Gerard growing hard already, but when he nudged his hips tentatively over Frank’s he was relieved to find that Frank was too.

Gerard pulled back from the kiss to look down at Frank for a second. Their gazes met and Gerard’s heart skipped a beat before they were kissing again. 

Frank pushed his hands into Gerard’s hair and pulled ever so gently. He was starting to liven up, energy coursing through him as his body sought after the pleasure it was being promised. He sighed softly into Gerard’s mouth and touched their tongues together for a moment as his hips rolled upwards of their own accord.

Gerard’s hands were warm and soothing as they stroked down Frank’s sides; his thumb caressed over Frank’s hipbone and then hooked into his underwear. He rubbed the skin there, teasing the younger man and himself. He didn’t remove Frank’s clothes straight away, instead he moved his kisses to the merman’s neck and left a trail of gentle bites that felt warm even after Gerard’s lips had disappeared.

Frank closed his eyes and relaxed, working his fingers gently through Gerard’s hair as he let him lead the way. Every time their hips pushed together Frank would sigh in quiet delight, enjoying the friction between their erections and bucking his pelvis in search of more. He turned his face to the side to kiss at any part of Gerard he could.

Both men were beginning to breathe heavier. Gerard felt shaky as he stripped himself and Frank of the few clothes they were wearing. He sat back to look at his lover for a moment, taking in the sight of Frank naked beneath him like it was the first time.

When Frank realized Gerard had stopped he slowly opened his eyes to look up at him. He smiled softly, confident in his body and feeling no anxiety as he let Gerard stare down at him. He in turn looked over Gerard; even though he had seen him naked before it was still intriguing to him. 

Looking at Gerard’s body just felt different to looking at his own, and he eagerly looked at the way his legs attached to his hips, and his hips to his torso. He followed the lines of his sternum, hip bones and midriff. He reached out to trace a finger down the line of hair that led from Gerard’s navel and down to his penis. He looked at the way the muscles in his thighs tensed and relaxed whenever he shifted his weight, and the way his erection twitched whenever his fingers stroked over a sensitive spot.

Frank thought that humans were beautiful; and Gerard the most beautiful of them all. Many merpeople thought that humans looked strange and abnormal, but Frank was beginning to think that they were the abnormal ones.

“Frankie…” Gerard felt the need to the break the silence surrounding them, realizing he had been looking at Frank for a long while. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Mhmm.” Frank nodded his head without hesitation, staring at Gerard’s hips for a minute longer before looking up to meet his gaze. “I’m sure.” He smiled, leaning up on his elbows and smiling when Gerard leant down to kiss him. 

“Is there a specific way I should lie?” Frank asked, his hand stroking the back of Gerard’s neck.

“No… No, on your back is fine.” Gerard whispered, sighing as he kissed Frank quickly again. He supposed it would probably be easiest for Frank if he was on his side, but Gerard wanted to be able to see his face. “Hold on a second…”

Gerard blushed as he got out of bed and hurried to get the lube from one of the drawers. He pulled out the tube and then hesitated as he looked at the condoms inside. He was clean, and he knew Frank was a virgin so he would be clean too, but suddenly Gerard wondered if it would still be unsafe. Frank had different blood to a human, if their blood ended up mixing somehow would it make one of them sick? 

Gerard thought back to the rumours in high school that AIDs was caused by a man having sex with a monkey and decided he wouldn’t risk it. He grabbed a condom and hurried back to the bed, placing the items he had retrieved next to Frank before lying atop him again.

Frank smiled softly as Gerard kissed him without another word and their hips started to rock together. It didn’t take either of them long to relax fully again and soon Frank was panting and mewling softly as he pulled on Gerard’s hair and kissed him with feverish passion. 

Gerard was spurred on by Frank’s eagerness, but he forced himself not to rush into anything. He continued simply kissing Frank and rubbing their cocks together, waiting until they were both getting sticky with pre cum before he broke the kiss and picked up the tube of lube next to them.

Frank kept his eyes closed, breathing heavily and slowly running his hands through his own hair as he struggled to compose himself. He opened his legs as wide as he could when Gerard nudged them, and lifted his hips when he was told to do so. Gerard slid two cushions beneath Frank’s lower back to tilt his hips up more, kissing him quickly again before squeezing some lube onto his fingers.

Frank gasped when something cold and slick ran over his anus and he immediately tensed as a result. As the lube warmed up though he relaxed to the gentle pressure of Gerard’s fingers smearing it against the outside of his hole. 

Gerard sat back and focused on what he was doing. Frank seemed relaxed and his eyes were still closed. Every now and then he would give a small huff of impatience and Gerard couldn’t help but smile. He had had sex with a virgin before, and he liked to think he knew what he was doing; Frank certainly seemed to be enjoying it.

Gerard ran his fingertips in small circles around Frank’s entrance, feeling the muscles grow soft and pliant beneath his gentle rubs. Soon he managed to press a finger inside Frank without any resistance. He kept slow though, watching Frank’s face screw up in surprise. The younger man released a quiet squeak and he shifted uncomfortably.

“Is it okay?” Gerard asked quickly, stilling his finger inside the merman. Frank sighed and rolled his head to the side, his eyes fluttering open for a moment before he nodded. 

“Uhuh… It doesn’t hurt…” He promised quietly, though the sensation was incredibly strange. Frank didn’t know how it was supposed to feel exactly, he just knew he had never felt anything quite like it in his entire life. Gerard was starting to rub his inner walls ever so gently, not quite thrusting his finger, and for a while Frank could only shift his hips about, trying to get more comfortable and used to the sensation.

Gerard could remember his first time as a bottom well, and he knew that it would take a long time for Frank to really enjoy it. He wriggled his finger deeper, searching for Frank’s prostate. He knew that at least would make everything a lot more bearable. 

Gerard didn’t manage to find that special spot until he had worked a second finger inside Frank. He kept an eye on the younger man’s erection, pleased that he was still fully hard and using it as an indicator of how much he was enjoying it.

Now that he was beginning to grow used to the sensations Frank was starting to feel like he could enjoy them. He relaxed more and gave soft sighs and moans of encouragement, wanting Gerard to know he was okay. After a while the two fingers inside him pressed against his prostate and began to rub, causing him to moan with more enthusiasm.

Gerard recognised the texture of the prostate immediately and began to rub his fingers in a ‘come hither’ motion to massage it. He was gentle and slow still, and his erection throbbed at the quiet moans of pleasure he was causing Frank to make. His anal muscles were beginning to pulse around Gerard’s fingers and so he began to thrust them ever so gently.

Frank shivered in delight at the new sensations the thrusting caused. Gerard was careful to nudge his prostate with each press in, and soon Frank was leaking pre cum over his stomach and whimpering for more. 

More was provided when Gerard began to scissor his fingers too, stretching Frank’s sphincter and preparing him for something bigger. Frank was beginning to really enjoy himself, and he started to push back down over the fingers as Gerard fucked him with them.

Gerard used his other hand to squeeze more lube onto the two fingers working in and out of Frank, using perhaps more than was necessary but he knew too much lube was a lot better than not enough. By the time he pulled his fingers out of Frank his hole it was shining wetly in the dim light and Frank was feeling positively debauched. 

“Unn G – Gerard…” Frank’s cock was throbbing and he felt lost without the fingers inside him. He opened his eyes half way and watched with a hungry gaze as Gerard hurried to roll the condom over his own cock and then rub lube over the top. 

“What’s that?” Frank slurred, referring to the condom which he had never seen before. Gerard gave him a crooked grin and shook his head. 

“It’s just a safety thing.” He shrugged, turning himself on even more as he worked his hand over his length. Frank watched him and nodded, deciding they could talk about the safety thing later, it wasn’t important right then.  
“Okay…” Gerard swallowed thickly and moved forward to press the tip of his cock to Frank’s ass. “Hold my hand…” He whispered, cupping Frank’s waist with one hand and then moving the other to slot against Frank’s palm. He laced their fingers and met Frank’s gaze with a soft smile. “Squeeze my hand as much as it hurts, then I know what pace to go.”

Gerard found that the hand squeezing was much easier in these situations. Talking could be difficult, and squeezing someone’s hand was more instinctive than telling them it hurt, and he wanted Frank to be as comfortable as possible. 

“Mm… I love you Gee.” Frank whispered, keeping his grip loose on Gerard’s fingers as he kissed him softly. “I trust you…”

Gerard knew Frank was giving him the go ahead and so after one more passionate kiss and a husky ‘I love you too’ he began to push his hips forward. 

Frank squeezed his eyes shut but didn’t tighten his grip on Gerard’s hand just yet. He could feel the pressure of the head of Gerard’s cock trying to push through his sphincter and he focussed on relaxing as much as possible. Little by little Gerard entered him, and Frank gasped and squeezed his hand hard when the head suddenly slipped inside him.

Immediately Gerard halted, looking anxiously at Frank but the younger man didn’t open his eyes. His muscles were clenching around Gerard, but after a few moments of deep breathing on Frank’s part, his muscles loosened up again and he released his death grip on Gerard’s hand.

“Okay… I’m okay…”

For what felt like forever the same thing happened again and again. Gerard would move forward as slowly as he could, and with each inch that disappeared into Frank he would stop whenever the grip on his hand tightened. There were no tears though, no gasps or whimpers of pain. At worst Frank would screw his face up for a few moments before relaxing again. The process was agonizingly slow, but when Gerard finally managed to press his entire length into Frank neither of them were hurt. 

Frank sighed and shifted his hips slightly, moving his body around until he felt more comfortable. Gerard was stroking his waist softly and kissing his neck, and Frank was able to just take a few minutes to relax. 

Gerard was feeling breathless as I stroked his thumb along Frank’s palm and tried to steady his breathing. The merman was so tight around his cock, and he could feel the heat through the condom. His hips felt tense with the need to thrust, but he kept still despite how hard it was to control himself. 

It felt like years for Gerard before Frank was relaxed again. He felt the change in his muscles and opened his eyes slowly to look at him. Frank was already gazing at him and he smiled softly as he nodded, giving Gerard’s hand one more, gentle squeeze.

“Okay.” He whispered, his expression calm. “Ready.”

Gerard exhaled slowly and groaned as he leant down to kiss Frank. He felt so in love with him right then it was overwhelming, and knowing that Frank would soon be leaving broke his heart. He tried not to think about it, but even as he began to rock his hips he couldn’t quite push it out of his mind.

Gerard stayed buried deep in Frank as he made love to him. He didn’t thrust his hips back and forth, not wanting to hurt Frank, knowing he would ache just from the stretch as it was. Instead he kept pressed against his prostate and just rolled his hips enough to cause a small amount of friction and to rub the tip of his erection against Frank’s sweet spot.

Frank was relaxed beneath Gerard, his arms now draped around his neck and his fingers played with the ends of his hair. He was moaning quietly and arching his hips up to meet Gerard’s, keeping the penetration deep and gasping over how good it felt. 

Gerard was so turned on that even just being inside Frank was enough to get him close to climax. He moaned quietly into Frank’s neck and wrapped his arms around his waist, hoisting his hips up to press further inside him. 

Both men were panting and breathing out soft words of pleasure between their quiet moans. They held onto each other tight, keeping all gaps between them closed. 

Gerard was the first to cum; he tensed and stilled inside Frank, gasping and moaning his lovers name louder as he spilt into the condom. He jerked his hips forward a few more times before slumping down onto his elbows. He continued to roll his hips forward for as long as he could bear but soon he was too sensitive and he pulled his softening cock out of Frank.

“Fuck…” Gerard tipped Franks head up to kiss him heatedly, wrapping his other hand around Frank’s still hard cock and squeezing firmly. “I love you…” 

“Ah! Ha… You too…” Frank gasped, moaning and arching his back as Gerard stroked his erection rapidly to bring him to orgasm. “Love you too…”

Frank’s pleasure climbed much faster now his ass was able to rest and soon he was spilling over Gerard’s fingers, crying out his name as he did so. He shivered and tingled all over as Gerard milked his orgasm, loosening his grip on his cock and stroking gently until Frank was completely spent. 

Gerard sighed and kissed Frank tenderly as he moved his hands away from him. He wiped them clean on the sheets and quickly removed the condom, tying it off and throwing it into the bin before he pulled Frank into his arms and tucked his face into his neck. 

“Was it okay?” He asked quietly, his voice sounding thick and husky. 

“Uhuh…” Frank nodded, feeling exhausted. “Amazing…” Though his ass was now throbbing Frank was still happy. He knew they had just done something important and he felt closer than ever to Gerard. He laid his chin down on top of the artists head as he hid in his neck and gently stroked Gerard’s back.

Gerard breathed in Frank’s scent as he lay hiding in his neck, thinking about what they had just done and how it was going to feel when Frank left. He began to cry without really noticing he was doing it. Frank said nothing but tightened his hold around him, gently rocking him as he began to sob in earnest. 

Frank squeezed his eyes shut and sighed, his own eyes welling up with tears as he listened to the quiet, broken sounds escaping Gerard’s throat in gasps and gulps. He didn’t say anything, knowing there wasn’t anything he _could_ say. Instead he just held onto the artist and let his own tears fall silent until they both managed to drift to sleep late in the night.

xXx

The town was in uproar. Everywhere merpeople were panicking and talking, some shouting to try and be heard above the rest. Some had already began to pack up whatever few belongings they wanted to carry away with them, placing them inside stolen fishing nets; no one expected that there would be any other option than to leave. 

Marigold was wringing her hands nervously as she turned round and round, trying to take in all the frightened faces looking at her. She could barely hear anyone, the combined voices were just becoming a din of noise that she couldn’t focus on. Her own heart was racing and she was just as frightened as everyone else, but she tried to appear calm as she finally found her own voice and shouted for silence. 

“Please! Everyone, just calm down!” She called, holding her hands up and continuing to slowly turn so everyone had a chance to see her face. She recognised every person looking back at her and she felt a sickening feeling come over her. She loved everyone in this town, she wanted to protect them but she didn’t know how. 

“I understand that everyone is frightened, but we mustn’t panic.” Marigold kept her voice as soft and calm as possible. Now that everyone was silent and listening to her she was beginning to feel better. She knew they had to resist getting worked up and just think rationally, but the fear clouding them all was difficult to ignore. 

“We have known of the existence of the Sirens for some time, and I warned you all not to go anywhere near them.” Marigold looked at the wide eyes and frightened faces looking back at her. “I… Can’t help but feel like this tragedy could have been avoided if David had heeded that advice.”

“But Marigold!”

“That’s not fair, David-”

“They seduced him-” 

“He wouldn’t have gone there if they hadn’t-”

“-Not fair to blame him!”

Marigold squeezed her eyes shut as everyone began shouting at once. She held her hands up for silence but still had to wait for some time before Bob shouted at everyone to ‘shut up!’ and she was able to open her eyes again.

“Thank you Bob.” She sighed, her voice weak and she suddenly looked like she had aged ten years. She felt exhausted. 

“Now, I know that David was a good man, and I know he wouldn’t have just disobeyed my orders.” Marigold paused, not sure what to say. She didn’t believe that Sirens could seduce mermen like they could seduce humans, but she didn’t want everyone to think that she believed David had gone to their domain deliberately. But she also didn’t want to believe that he had been attacked for no reason.

“This is the first time that the Sirens have taken one of our own. Up until now they have focused on the humans and as long as we kept out of their way we had no reason to fear them.” Marigold bit her lip, waiting for someone to challenge her but no one did. “David obviously got too close to their town… Whether it was by accident or not I don’t know, but he did. I’m going to tighten the town parameters and from now on I’m making it law that no one leave the boundaries.” 

Another wave of uproar met this statement, but it died down quickly. Marigold knew that no one would like the law, but she had to enforce it. 

“To any of you who are planning to move on from here then I won’t stop you of course, but I will say I hope you reconsider. This could just be a freak occurrence, and this has been our town for hundreds of years. We shouldn’t leave at the first sign of danger, I say we stay and just be extra careful until the Sirens move on.” 

“What if they don’t move on?” One of the men called out, Marigold turning to face him.

“They can’t keep taking humans from here forever.” She pointed out, blushing slightly. “The humans have already stopped using their boats as much in fear. The Sirens are rousing suspicions and are also scaring away their prey, they’ll have to move on eventually.”

A few people murmured their doubts but overall people seemed to agree. When the Sirens had seduced sailors off large ships further out to sea they would only take one or two from a crew of over a hundred men. A couple of missing sailors in the grand scheme of things was never looked into too deeply. But every man who went out on their boat in a town? That was too conspicuous. The Sirens would _have_ to leave.

“What about David?” Someone else called out, Marigold turning to face them too. It was Jamia. “Are we just going to leave him to die?” She demanded. 

Marigold bushed deeply and sighed, knowing Jamia was still hurting over Frank’s disappearance and that having another merman disappear would hit her hard. 

“There’s nothing else we can do Jamia.” Marigold told her gently. Bob, who was floating behind Jamia, squeezed her hand gently and wrapped his arms around her.

“David is in the Sirens hold now.” Marigold sighed. “If he isn’t dead already he soon will be, we can’t save him.” Marigold hated to speak so bluntly, and many of the people around her winced or began to sob but she had to be honest. 

“I could send out a search party but it would only result in us losing more people. We… We just don’t have any other choice.”

“What if people volunteered?” It was Bob who spoke now, and he had a determined glint in his eyes. “I’ll be happy to try and bring David back, I’m not afraid of the sirens.” He spoke strongly, but Marigold just shook her head. 

“I can’t let you do that.” She told him softly, her eyes sad. “We don’t want to lose you too.” 

Jamia turned to Bob and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tight as a lump rose in her throat. She whispered at him to drop it, and her soft words forced him to do so even though he tensed his jaw and gritted his teeth. He wanted to help, he wanted to _fight_ , but he wouldn’t do anything Jamia didn’t want him to. 

Marigold waited for more questions but when none came she nodded and began to give out instructions to different people. The town parameters would be brought in, people would be forced to remain within them and anyone wanting to leave would have to speak to her first, or be hunted down as a traitor. 

As everyone swam away the day seemed darker than ever and for the first time Jamia was glad Frank wasn’t there. With him out of the sea she could pretend he was still alive, but somewhere safe. Somewhere he could be happy.


	13. Chapter thirteen

Gerard couldn’t sleep. He couldn’t paint. He could barely even eat. He felt sick and tired and like he wasn’t going to get any better. His muscles were stiff and full of tension, his body anticipating the moment Frank left… A moment which seemed to be getting closer much faster than it should have been.

Days used to drag for Gerard, weeks used to feel like they took an age. But his final week with Frank had disappeared like sand through his fingers The hourglass was empty and no matter how much Gerard tried to ignore it and pretend that he still had time, his sand had all run out. 

The night was cool and eerily silent when Frank and Gerard stepped out onto the deserted streets. It was midweek so no one was out at this time, the bars and clubs held their appeal only on weekends. There were the few odd regulars who always went to the local pub no matter the day or the weather, but they had all gone home now. It was two in the morning, and no one wanted to be around the sea front at night anymore.

Gerard held Frank’s hand tight, their fingers laced and the blood almost cut off by how desperately they held onto each other. They didn’t pass a single person on their way to the harbour; there were no cars on the road. A sea fog was rolling in, causing the light from the street lamps to blur and stretch around them like a smudged halo of orange. Gerard almost hoped they would pass someone, someone like a police officer who would tell them it was dangerous to be out in these conditions at this time and force them to go home. 

Gerard just wanted Frank to come home.

Though both men were feeling anxious and upset, Frank was able to keep a mask of calm on his face. He forced himself to keep up a strong façade for Gerard’s sake. He knew the artist was finding this a lot harder than he was and he worried over how Gerard was going to cope for their year apart. He had promised over and over all week that he wouldn’t give up on Frank, that he definitely would wait for him, but Frank couldn’t help but feel nervous that Gerard would grow tired of waiting with a broken heart and give up on the man who seemed to be nothing but a dream.

“I _will_ come back to you Gee.” Franks whispered words were the first to be said since they had agreed it was time to leave the apartment twenty minutes ago and they cut through the cool night air like something unnatural. Gerard had been walking like a lost soul, eyes staring blankly ahead and face expressionless. When Frank spoke it crushed his life back into his body and reminded him he wasn’t a ghost.

“I know.” Gerard’s response was automatic, but he forced a weak smile and looked at Frank for a moment. He could see that Frank was frightened and upset, just like he was, and he loosened their fingers for a moment before squeezing Frank’s hand comfortingly. “I’ll wait for you.”

“Don’t ever doubt me.” Frank whispered, his voice cracked and intense, full of desperation. “Don’t ever let yourself start to believe that I don’t love you. Or that I… That I don’t exist.” It felt like a bizarre request, but Frank had been thinking a lot about returning home and he knew that humans were so convinced that mythical creatures didn’t exist that it wouldn’t be unlikely for Gerard to wonder if perhaps he had imagined all their time together. 

Gerard blushed at Frank’s words and looked ahead for a moment. He too had considered whether he would be able to hold onto the belief that this had all been real. Whilst he was with Frank he didn’t question his sanity, Frank was just too _real_ to be a figment of his imagination. But sometimes when he was out selling his art or shopping without Frank it became almost easy to doubt that Frank would be in the apartment when he got back. Sometimes he got frighteningly close to believing that Frank wasn’t real.

“I know you exist Frank.” Gerard finally looked back to the merman and tried not to let the guilt in his heart show on his face. “I won’t believe otherwise. I will wait for you. It’s only a year… and then we can be together again.” Gerard was trying to be strong now. He could tell that Frank was doubting him and he didn’t want him to return to the ocean with the worry that Gerard wouldn’t be there for him when he came back. He would wait whether he thought that made him crazy or not.

Frank nodded and sighed, trying to feel relieved. He squeezed Gerard’s hand gently and focused on looking forward again. He could tell they were close to the sea because the fog was thicker, the scent stagnant and mingling with the smell of salt and seaweed, making Frank’s stomach churn. He wondered if he should feel excited to return home, or whether it would even feel like home at all when he got back to the town. Gerard’s warm flat that smelt of coffee and cheap clothes detergent felt more like home now.

The two men reached the harbour in what felt like no time, both of their hearts sinking as they stepped onto the pier and slowly slid beneath the hand rails to drop down onto the slim stretch of sand beneath. The tide was in and the fog laid atop the water like a curtain of mist.

Gerard shivered and hugged his jacket tighter around himself as Frank slowly began to strip of his own clothes. With each layer he removed he could feel the tiny drops of water in the air clinging to his skin. He shuddered and his teeth began to chatter as he dropped first his hoody, then his shirt, jeans and socks onto the sand.

Frank hesitated at his underwear, looking down at his legs and his feet for a moment before he looked up at Gerard and felt tears welling his eyes. 

“I guess this is goodbye then.” The words got half stuck in Frank’s throat and he had to force them out with a pathetic sniff. He wiped quickly at the tears that had started to track down his cheeks and then tiptoed up to wrap his arms around Gerard’s neck. He pressed tight to his body and tucked his face into his neck, crying quietly. 

“I’ll miss you…”

“I’ll miss you more.” Gerard whispered, trying to chuckle but it just sounded like a sob instead. “It’s not forever.” He reminded Frank quietly, though in his mind he could only think of how it might as well be. 

“Stay safe in there, and get back to me soon.” He whispered into Frank’s hair, kissing down his jaw and trying hard to swallow down his tears. Frank nodded meekly into his neck, whispering ‘I promise’ into the soft skin beneath Gerard’s ear before he leant back to kiss him.

Gerard gripped at Frank’s back as he encased him in his arms, kissing him long and hard. Frank squeezed his eyes shut and kissed Gerard until his lungs burnt; he caught snatches of air between presses of lips and felt his heart swelling and thumping painfully in his chest. It felt like it was trying to expand and burst and all he could think was _don’t say goodbye don’t say goodbye don’t say goodbye_.

“I love you…” Gerard finally forced himself to break the kiss after five minutes had passed and his lips were tingling. It took him another five minutes to finally be able to take his arms from around Frank and step back. 

“I love you.” Frank replied through a sob, keeping his eyes fixed on Gerard as he shyly pushed his underwear down his legs and stepped out of them, leaving them crumpled with his other clothes. He wasn’t even trying to hide his crying now and he sobbed and gulped as he stood naked in the cold. “Sia then…”

“Oh God.” Gerard was unable to hold back his own tears in the face of Frank’s and he pulled his lover quickly back into his arms, holding him tight and kissing him over and over again. “Don’t go… please don’t go. You don’t have to go.” 

“No I do… I do Gerard, please.” Frank was crying harder now. He couldn’t bear to hear Gerard beg him to stay, not when he desperately wished he could. “I have to go. But I’ll come back. I’ll come back.” 

The promise lingered on their lips and in the air as Frank pried himself off Gerard and took a deep breath. He was able to calm his tears just enough to whisper a final ‘love you’ before he turned to walk into the water. 

Gerard was sobbing harder now, clutching his chest as if it hurt. He watched Frank walk until he was knee deep in the water and then he suddenly jolted forward, as if he was going to try and stop Frank from leaving, but the merman suddenly dived into the waves before Gerard could even open his mouth.

Gerard stood, stunned at the water’s edge. Tears left smears on his cheeks and his mouth hung open as his heart raced. He could feel himself shaking but whether from cold or something else he couldn’t tell. He hesitated a moment, listening intently and staring at the spot Frank had disappeared. It felt like his senses and his mind had gone into slow motion and an age seemed to pass before he realised he was waiting to see if Frank changed his mind and was coming back. And once it became clear he wasn’t he began to shake his head, crying and shouting as he charged into the water. 

“Frank! FRANK! No, _no_ come back! Come BACK! FRANK!” 

Water was splashed upwards by Gerard’s knees and arms, his clothes getting saturated as he waded deeper and deeper into the water, getting up to his chest before he realised there was no hope in finding Frank anymore and he stopped. His sobs sounded loud and obscene tearing from his chest but he couldn’t stop them. He ran his hand through his hair and clung at his wet shirt over his heart as he cried Frank’s name over and over again.

In the water Frank was deaf to Gerard’s screams. The metamorphosis was slow to begin after so long of being out of the ocean and Frank had to use his human legs to swim deeper and deeper into the water. He was still sobbing and he couldn’t stop, he could feel water filling his lungs but he didn’t care. For a time he was blind, but as the change finally began to grip him he doubled over and gasped as gills opened up on his neck.

Frank could hear his sobs now and he wrapped his arms around himself, shuddering through the sensation of his legs fusing together and scales lifting out of his skin. His fingers became webbed and small water currents were created by his gills rapidly sucking in water with each sob that wracked his body. 

Frank used to love who he was. He used to love being a merman and when he had first turned back into a merman after being human it had been a relief to know he could still go through the metamorphosis. But it didn’t feel like relief anymore. It didn’t feel like home. It felt like drowning.

xXx

Gerard felt strange as he stepped into his apartment and trod wet footprints into the carpet on his way to the bathroom. He wasn’t sure which emotion was strongest in him; sadness, anger, loneliness and disbelief were all churning inside him making him feel sick. 

The walk home had been cold and miserable to say the least. Gerard had spent a while in the sea, shivering and crying and praying that Frank would return. He had given up only when the cold biting into his limbs became too painful and his voice had grown too weak to call Frank’s name anymore. 

Even though he knew it was impossible Gerard hadn’t been able to stop himself from hoping Frank had somehow overtaken him and got back to the apartment first. Maybe he would be sat outside the door, shivering and waiting for Gerard to get home and let him in… But of course Frank wasn’t there, and Gerard’s heart sank with disappointment as he walked through the apartment and into the bathroom.

Gerard turned the shower on straight away to fill the room with its hot steam before he slowly peeled his wet clothes off himself. His skin felt raw and gritty from the salt that had rubbed between his skin and the layers of his clothes. He even had a few red patches over his body where the rubbing had caused a rash, just making him feel even more hideous.

The hot water of the shower brought some life back to his limbs and made him feel a little more human, but it did nothing to lift his heavy heart. He supposed he shouldn’t feel so upset, he had had a whole week to brace himself for this night and he knew there was no point moping about it. But knowing that didn’t make it any easier and so he resorted himself to sulking as he washed the salt from his skin and then slowly sat down to lean against the corner of the shower cubicle.

Gerard drew his knees up to his chest and bowed his head against them, closing his eyes and focusing on the sensation of the water drumming against his back. He felt weak and sick, exhausted but not sleepy. He tried to stop himself from thinking about Frank and his year of oncoming loneliness, instead he tried to count each drop of water that came into contact with his skin and when that proved too hard he switched to controlling his breathing… Inhale for five seconds… Exhale for five seconds… relax his muscles… inhale for five seconds… exhale…

Gerard didn’t know how long he sat on the shower floor for. It could have been days for all he cared. He didn’t want to move at all. He could have sat there for the entire year… if it wasn’t for the fact the hard floor made his backside grow numb after a while and he struggled back to his feet to alleviate the cramp in his spine. 

The bathroom was so full of steam by the time Gerard turned off the shower and wrapped himself in a towel that it almost looked like the sea fog outside. He got dried as quickly as he could and left his damp clothes still on the floor to walk naked to his bedroom and throw on an old pair of pyjamas. 

It felt strange as he walked back to the kitchen to make a drink, intending to spend the rest of the night sat up watching TV since he knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep. The apartment was empty and lonely without Frank, and yet at the same time it felt normal… It felt like Gerard had woken up after a two month dream and was back in the exact same place he had been in before he found Frank at the harbour.

Gerard felt nervous as he made his cocoa, wondering how he was going to keep it in his mind that Frank was real… They had never taken any photos together, and Frank had only ever borrowed things which belonged to Gerard. He had never had anything that was purely his own which Gerard could use as evidence that he existed. Gerard knew he shouldn’t let himself believe he had imagined his lover, but already the apartment felt too much like Frank had never been there…

Gerard wracked his brain for something that he could use as personal evidence that Frank had been here, and would return again. It was only when the dawn was breaking outside, and he was beginning to drift off on the sofa that he suddenly remembered the painting Frank had done that first day together and he shot to his feet as if he had been electrocuted.

The painting was with a few other canvases in a cupboard where Gerard stored uncompleted or unsellable work. He seized the whole stack and dropped to his knees on the floor, going through them rapidly like a man possessed before halfway through he found it… Frank’s painting of a mermaid.

Immediately Gerard calmed down, his hands trembling as he slowly lifted the canvas and looked at it. He smiled slowly, his heart aching but also lightening slightly. This was what he needed, this would be enough to remind him that at the end of his year long wait Frank would return.

The fog outside melted away in the first rays of sunlight, the bright blue sky making it seem impossible that such a dreary night could ever have happened. Gerard was fast asleep in the living room, warmed by the golden light that shone through the window and lit up Frank’s canvas which was now hanging on the wall.

xXx

When Jamia woke up it was to find herself encased in Bob’s arms, her body draped across his firm chest. She felt as though the past two months had been filled with nothing but problems and sadness, and finally she had broken down against Bob and begged him not to leave her alone that night. As a result he had stayed with her, and somehow they had become entangled as they both slept.

Jamia blushed as she slowly lifted herself off Bob, drifting to his side and lying down on her front. He continued to sleep soundly and she breathed a small sigh of relief that he didn’t seem to be aware of how they had spent the night. She knew it shouldn’t have been a big deal, but for some reason it just felt like it was…

Jamia sat up after a moment and ran her hands over her forehead to gather up her hair and pull it back into a pony tail. She secured it with a strip of seaweed which had been wrapped around her wrist and then kicked off the ground to swim to the centre of town and see if there was any more news on the Sirens. She didn’t want Bob to wake up with her beside him, though she couldn’t really explain why.

Jamia felt odd as she swam through the quiet town, it earlier than she had first realised. She wasn’t sure what she was feeling, she had spent nights curled around friends before. But being curled around Bob didn’t feel the same. She had felt incredibly safe with his strong arms around her, and she had felt strangely embarrassed at the thought of him waking up and seeing her.

Jamia hoped she hadn’t done something that was going to ruin their friendship which had been making them feel closer every day. She couldn’t see why she would have done, but for some reason it was still worrying her. Something just felt different in her that morning and it made her feel anxious as she swam to where the meeting had been held the day before.

It was still too early for anyone else to be awake, and Jamia sighed as she sat down on a rock jutting out of the sand. She knew that if the Sirens had been any trouble in the night then the alarm would have been sounded by now and everyone would be awake and panicking. The silence of the town was soothing; for now at least nothing more had happened. 

As Jamia sat by herself she gazed around through the water, enjoying her serenity. She hadn’t felt relaxed in a long time, but sat by herself she slowly began to release the tension in her muscles and calm down. The Sirens suddenly felt very far away…

For a long while Jamia’s peace was left unbroken, but eventually a movement caught her eye and she turned her head to see a shadow moving through the water towards her. Immediately her heart soared into her mouth and she sprung upright, turning to face the oncoming shadow. It was still early, but not so early that the shadow couldn’t be just another merperson from the town. But in her paranoia Jamia couldn’t help but fear that it was a Siren.

Jamia considered swimming away but her muscles were paralyzed. She could only stare in fear as the shadow drew closer and closer, moving slowly as if it was taking its time. Jamia considered calling out to it, or screaming for help, but in the end she stayed silent.

It felt like forever but in fact it was only seconds before the shadow grew close enough that she could begin to make out features. She relaxed when she realised the body was male; a merman… The head was bowed, as if the man was exhausted. 

Jamia frowned, she felt as though she could recognise the merman but she wasn’t sure. She began to swim forward to see who it was, and then she saw the tail… Red and black, and so familiar that by the time Frank was lifting his head to look around she was already fainting onto the ocean floor.


	14. Chapter fourteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the wait guys, once again this chaptered hasn't been beta'd due to time restraints. I have proof read it so hopefully it will still be okay, but I apologise in advance if there are any mistakes.

The town was in uproar. Frank felt like he could barely breathe as people surrounded him, everyone trying to talk to him and grab hold of him all at once. Only Bob and Jamia weren’t crowding around their friend. Jamia had woken up from her faint not long after everyone else started to appear, and Bob had taken her in his arms and was gently rubbing her back to make her feel better as she stared with stunned eyes at the crowd hiding Frank from view.

Frank hadn’t said a single word to anyone yet, but everyone was asking him questions and trying to find out where he had been for so long. He was happy to answer them, but he didn’t have chance to so much as open his mouth before another question was being fired at him. It was all very overwhelming and he was so exhausted from swimming for hours trying to find the town that he just wanted to be left alone so he could rest.

“Enough!” Suddenly Marigold’s stern voice cut through the hue of questions and Frank saw her face appear between two mermen’s shoulders. “Everyone stop crowding him! Give him some space!”

Frank breathed a small sigh of relief as gradually everyone did as they were told and moved aside. They didn’t move far, everyone still waiting to hear him speak but Frank was at least able to move without jostling into everyone. He smiled gratefully at Marigold and ran a hand slowly through his hair, his eyes seeking out Jamia.

Everyone was murmuring quietly to each other, a few started to shout questions again but Frank wasn’t listening anymore. He swam to where he could see Jamia was resting with Bob and tried to offer her his hand, but she just looked at him as if she didn’t even recognise him anymore. 

“Hey…” Frank whispered, his heart racing. He felt sick and tired, his insides raw and bloody after having to tear himself away from the man he loved. He needed someone in the ocean to be there for him, he needed his friends to still love him or he wouldn’t be able to cope for the year he was now forced to remain prisoner here. 

“Frank…” Bob shook his head slowly, his eyes wide with disbelief. “I can’t believe it’s actually you… I… Where have you been all this time?” 

Frank smiled awkwardly, not really sure how to answer so he didn’t. Instead he looked at Jamia, sinking down to kneel on the sand in front of her and touch her caudal fin gently. It fluttered under his fingertips, as if she wanted to move it away but didn’t have the energy. 

“Jay… Jamia… I’m sorry I’ve been gone so long.” Frank blushed as Jamia looked at him with confusion in her eyes, her lips stuck firm together. “I was so scared that you were hurt that night in the storm, and I tried looking for you…” 

“Why didn’t you just come back here?” Jamia’s voice was quiet and broken when she spoke, full of pain. She had wanted Frank to return so badly, she hadn’t considered that she wouldn’t feel happy to see him. She knew she should be relieved to see him, but instead she felt oddly betrayed. He looked perfectly fine, not hurt at all, and she couldn’t understand where he had been. 

“You’ve been gone for two months Frank.” She croaked, her chest heaving as she fought back tears. “ _Two months_. Where were you!?” 

“I’m sorry.” Frank apologised again, drawing his hand back to rest on his own tail. Everyone was watching them, listening into what should have been a private conversation and Frank’s skin was prickling with the sensation of so many eyes on him. “It’s a long story…”

“Just tell me _where_ you were.” Jamia demanded, her voice stronger now as she frowned. “I don’t care _why_ , just tell me _where_.”

Frank bit his lip, hesitating. He wasn’t sure what to say, he hadn’t really been expecting Jamia to react like this. He thought she would be happy to see him return, he thought everyone would be. Had he been wrong to expect them all to welcome him back with open arms? Maybe he wasn’t welcome at all, maybe he just didn’t belong in the ocean anymore. 

“I’ve been living with a human.” Frank didn’t want to reveal the truth but he saw no other option. He sighed the words in a defeated tone and bowed his head, squeezing his eyes shut as everyone started gasping and talking and _questioning_ all over again.

Jamia just stared at Frank in horror, Bob behind her looking suddenly pale and as if he had turned suddenly and violently ill. He opened and closed his mouth but couldn’t think of anything to say. Eventually it was Marigold who once again had to call everyone to order. She swam to Frank and sank down beside him, looking at him with wide eyes. 

“You’ve been living with a human for two months?” She clarified, the news doing nothing to help her already increasing stress. It felt like everything that could ever go wrong was happening. The joy she had initially felt at hearing about Frank’s seemingly miraculous return had quickly disappeared. “A human knows about us?”

“No.” Frank quickly insisted, turning to meet Marigold’s gaze and try to look as convincing as possible. If anyone knew that he had told Gerard the truth they would shun him. He wasn’t sure what would happen, perhaps they would kick him out of the town, or make him a prisoner, or even sentence him to death… All that he could be certain of was that his telling Gerard the truth would not be met with any form of approval. 

“I swear I never told him anything.” Frank insisted, a few suspicious whispers behind him making him blush but he held strong. “The storm washed me onto the shore, and the human found me unconscious. He took me in and cared for me, let me heal… He was just doing me a kindness. We became…” Frank hesitated, his blush increasing as he whispered; “Friends…” 

“Friends…” Jamia whispered, giving a short, hollow laugh and shaking her head. “Friends with a human.”

“He was good to me.” Frank insisted, his eyes pleading. “He taught me a lot… I was going to leave straight away but the humans have protocols for that kind of thing. If I had just gone without word then he would have searched for me – It would have caused him pain.”

“And what about our pain!?” Jamia suddenly demanded, pushing out of Bobs arms and raising her body up so that she towered over Frank, glaring down at him. “We searched for you! Bob and I even went on _land_ looking for you, and nearly got caught by humans ourselves. I’ve been going out of my mind worrying about you, and then you suddenly show up here and tell us that you were with a human the whole time? That you wouldn’t leave because you were _friends_.” Jamia’s words were venomous, spat at Frank like poison and he flinched from their force.

“Jam…” Bob whispered, gently touching Jamia’s hand to try and pull her back down but she shook her head, yanking her hand out of the way. 

“You should have come home, _this_ is where you belong! You’ve been up there eating human food and walking on human legs. How do we know you’re even the same person you were before? No one can spend that long with a human and not be changed.” 

A few murmurs of agreement met Jamia’s words, some merpeople nodding their heads. Even Marigold was looking at Frank suspiciously now. 

Merpeople didn’t like humans. They didn’t understand them, and they didn’t want to. They informed themselves about the human world as much as they could for the sake of going on land to reproduce but that was all. Frank supposed it shouldn’t be a surprise that everyone was disgusted to hear he had been on land for so long. Being on land was dangerous, interacting with humans was dangerous, and if anyone knew that Frank had become the lover of a human he would never be accepted again.

Frank didn’t feel like he would ever be accepted anyway. He didn’t belong in the ocean anymore, and his eyes stung with tears as he looked around at the faces peering back at him. These people felt like strangers. Not even his friends cared for him anymore. He and Jamia would have created a life together if it weren’t for the storm and now she couldn’t even look at him without getting angry.

“I…” Frank hesitated, not knowing what to say. He couldn’t go back to the land for a whole year, and suddenly that felt like a very long time indeed. He decided that the only thing he could do was change the subject.

“I’m sorry that I’ve been gone so long. But I don’t know what else I can say. Except… This whole town is in danger right now, and I wanted to help save it.”

“Wait, what?” Marigold shook her hand and held up her hands, frowning. “What do you mean?”

“Oh come on.” Frank scoffed, frowning himself now as he swam up to look down on everyone, Jamia still glaring at him. “You must have noticed the Sirens? They can’t be far from here, and they’ve been taking humans from their fishing boats, some even before they even get out of the harbour!” As Frank looked around the guilty faces looking back at him showed him that everyone was already aware of what he was talking about.

“Why should that put us in danger?” Marigold sniffed, though her tone implied that she was agreeing with Frank. The bags under her eyes also told him that she hadn’t been getting any sleep recently. 

“I’ve witnessed first-hand how the humans are reacting to their sailors disappearing.” Frank said gently, though his voice was still strong. “They’re panicking, they’ve closed down their harbour and no one is allowed to go out on their boats. They can’t figure out why men are disappearing and if this carries on it will only be a matter of time before they begin to realise the truth.” 

“But that’s nonsense.” A merman called out, shaking his head with his arms folded across his chest. “Everyone knows that humans don’t believe in us anymore.” 

This was met with some approval and agreement, but Frank shook his head too, swimming up higher and calling out over the soft ‘yeah’s and ‘that’s right’. 

“There are some humans who still believe!” He said loudly, waiting until everyone was looking at him again. “Other humans think that they’re crazy, and don’t listen to them. But once they’ve run out of any other explanations those who know the truth aren’t going to sound too crazy anymore… The human who took me in used to talk about how the disappearances had to be due to something in the water, like some sort of creature snatching men from their boats. I used to tell him he had to be wrong but I could tell he didn’t believe me. The Sirens have to be stopped, if they’re not then humans are going to start coming out here and searching the waters for some sort of creature – and you can imagine how they’re going to react when they find us.” 

Frank’s words were met with some whispers of uncertainty. He could tell from the way people were huddling together that they were worried already without him needing to remind them of the danger they could all be in. He had noticed that people who had lived on the outskirts of town didn’t live there anymore; as he had swam in he hadn’t come to any homes until right into the centre of the town. It looked as though the merpeople had shrunk the town so they could all live closer together for safety, and Frank knew the only reason they would do that was because of the Sirens.

“You must all know that we have to do something. We can’t let the Sirens keep taking humans.” Frank softened his voice slightly, trying to be gentle but Jamia was still angry and she swam in front of him to block him from view for the rest of the town. 

“I don’t care if the Sirens are taking humans.” She said strongly, her eyes poisonous. “They’ve been taking humans since the dawn of time, and I don’t care! I _don’t!_ And you only care because you have some human _friend_.” She sneered, turning her back on Frank and swimming back down to join everyone else. 

“The humans won’t find us, and it isn’t our responsibility to save them from the Sirens. As long as we keep away from the Sirens ourselves then we’re safe.” She called out, facing the rest of the town and imploring them to believe her. “We’re doing all the right things, we just need to be vigilant. The Sirens won’t come here, and they’ll move on eventually when the humans start getting suspicious.”

“Haven’t you been listening to me?” Frank groaned, swimming down to face Jamia again and snarling as she tried to push him away. “They’re already suspicious! They’re going to start looking in the ocean and they have the technology to find us now! Don’t you _see_ that!?” He cried, gripping Jamia’s wrists so that she would stop trying to hit him. 

“I’ve seen their world!” Frank shouted, turning his head to look at everyone else. “They have machinery now, and computers. They can use all sorts of different things to find us.” He insisted, the alien words causing more panic to stir in the merpeople who could only imagine what a machine or a computer was. 

“We still live like we have done for centuries. We don’t change with time like humans do. We’re just like animals, and humans _hunt_ animals. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that just because the Sirens have been snatching them that they’re easy to hurt. They will find us… And they will kill us… We have to stop the Sirens before that happens!”

Jamia snarled and yanked her wrists out of Frank’s grip but she didn’t try to oppose him. His words were frightening her, and they were frightening the rest of the town as well. Slowly people turned their terrified eyes away from Frank to look at Marigold instead, waiting for her to respond to Frank’s frightening claims. 

Marigold looked sick as she gazed at Frank, her hands clasped in front of her. She was nervously wringing her palms together, and for a long moment she didn’t say anything at all. When she realised everyone was waiting for her to speak she blushed and turned to face Frank properly, taking a deep breath so that her voice didn’t shake. 

“Okay… Then what do you suggest?”

Immediately everyone turned to look at Frank again, eagerly awaiting his advice. Frank hesitated, blushing as he realised everyone was expecting him to have a plan already but he didn’t. He had known he would have to persuade everyone to help him get rid of the Sirens but he hadn’t been expecting to have this talk so soon after his return. He simply wasn’t prepared. 

“Well… Obviously we need to get rid of the Sirens.” Frank began and then paused again, trying to think of their best approach. “I don’t think just talking to them will make them leave… We’ll have to fight.” 

“Oh great, now you want us to lay our lives on the line to protect your precious humans.” Jamia scoffed but to Frank’s surprise Bob hushed her. 

“He’s right.” He spoke out, Frank staring in amazement at his old neighbour. “I’d be lying if I tried to pretend that I hadn’t thought it would come to this all along. No matter how much we try to convince ourselves that we’re safe and that we can live so close to a Siren colony it’s just not going to happen.” Bob shrugged, as if it wasn’t a big deal but already a few of the women had begun to cry. 

“There’s a reason why we live closer inland than Sirens – it’s to keep away from them. And if they don’t move away from here then we will.” Bob waited a moment, letting that sink in as he turned to look at everyone watching him. “But I say we fight. This is _our_ town, and I’m not going to just flee because of a small colony of Sirens. I want to _fight_ them, I want them to leave this place! And then we can go back to living in peace like we always have.” 

“No! There’s no point getting ourselves killed!” Jamia shouted, starting to cry herself and she swam towards Bob to pound her fists against his chest. “How dare you side with him! After all he’s put us through, how dare you!” 

Frank blushed, feeling a little guilty but more than that he just felt angry and upset. He couldn’t understand why Jamia was acting the way she was. He understood that she was upset about him being gone for so long but he hadn’t disappeared to hurt her. And he was back now, he just wanted her to be happy to see him. 

“Alright, alright enough!” Marigold swam up above everyone’s heads and called for silence. Jamia carried on crying but she hid her face in Bob’s chest to stifle the noise as Marigold talked. 

“Now isn’t the time to discuss what we are going to do about the Sirens.” Marigold looked at Frank, her eyes softening. “Frank Is obviously exhausted. I propose that we come back here this evening and listen to his story in full, and then we will vote on whether we fight the Sirens or not.” Marigold turned away from Frank to look at everyone else, asking if there were any objections but when no one spoke up Jamia cried out in outrage and shot through the water back to her home. 

Frank bit his lip and bowed his head, wanting to follow the distressed mermaid but he knew she didn’t want to see him. Bob waited until Marigold gave a time for the meeting and then he too disappeared to comfort the sobbing girl. 

Frank looked up slowly at the other merpeople but shuddered and turned quickly away. He didn’t want to speak to any of them, in fact he barely felt like he recognised most of them. He wanted desperately to be back on land with Gerard and it was all he could do not to cry himself as he weaved his way through the town to find his old cave.

The drop off zone where Frank’s home was situated felt colder than ever as Frank swam down to the opening in the cliff face that belonged to him. He didn’t remember the darkness feeling this suffocating, the water this freezing before… It felt like a million miles away from the life he had led in the human world and he ached to return there.

Frank swam into his cave as quickly as he could, halting in the darkness that seemed to swallow him. All his photophores had been covered in the growing algae and not a single glow could be seen. Frank sniffed and swallowed down the lump in his throat before drifting through the cave, sweeping his hands over the walls to remove the worst of the algae and reveal the photophores beneath.

Once the cave was finally filled with their warm, blue glow, Frank sank down onto the seaweed covered rock that dominated the space and rolled onto his front. He hid his face in his arms and began to cry, sobbing into his hands. He wanted to go back home – His home in the human world. He wanted to be back with Gerard, warm in his bed and safe in his arms. He wished he hadn’t come back to the sea, he wished he had just left the town to forever wonder about him and the Sirens to cause whatever havoc they wanted.

A year hadn’t seemed too bad when Frank had left. It had felt like a long time, and he hadn’t been looking forward to it, but he had consoled himself by believing that the time would go quickly whilst he was so busy working with everyone to get rid of the Sirens and spending as much time with Jamia and Bob as possible before he went back on land permanently. But now a year seemed to stretch endlessly out in front of him and Frank wasn’t convinced he would be able to cope at all.

xXx

Gerard sighed as he flicked from one TV channel to the next, peeking out from the several blankets he had cocooned himself with. The coffee table in front of him was littered with bottles of whisky and Irish cream. He had been pouring slugs of each into every cup of coffee he drank that day – and he was drinking a lot.

Gerard wanted to get drunk, he wanted to drink away all the pain that was consuming him now he was alone. He was already feeling uncertain that Frank would ever return, and even after only twelve hours he had almost convinced himself that it would be stupid to believe Frank was really going to come back.

The worst thing was Gerard knew he was just being ridiculous. Deep down he knew that Frank would come back to him when the year was up, and that wallowing in self-pity wasn’t going to make the year go any faster or make him feel any better at all. But right then he couldn’t think of anything better to do.

Gerard was feeling incredibly cold, despite the temperatures outside being fairly normal for that time of year. He had turned the thermostat for his apartment right up, and even huddled in all his blankets he was still shivering. That was why he was drinking so much coffee, he was too cold to drink just alcohol and decided pouring it into a hot drink was just as good as drinking it on its own. Though the large doses of caffeine were making his head ache and probably not helping with his shakes at all.

Gerard had struggled to sleep that night, and so by five am he had made his way to the sofa and had only moved since to make more coffee and nibble on a slice of toast before throwing it away only half eaten. He had no appetite, his stomach felt tight. 

A small voice inside Gerard was talking incessantly about how he was being an idiot. He had never had the best coping strategies and had gone through similar bouts of drinking and depression throughout his years at Art College. He had got help at that time, the college had an on-campus counsellor who supported Gerard into developing better coping strategies and learning to get through problems without using drink as a crutch.

Now though Gerard didn’t want to use coping strategies, or relaxation techniques or any of the other stuff the counsellor had taught him. He wanted to spend all day wrapped up on his couch and watching awful day time TV until he felt better. And if he didn’t feel better then tomorrow he would do the same thing. And the day after that. And the day after that too if he had to. He didn’t care if it was self-destructive and he didn’t care if he was acting like a petulant child. 

Gerard sighed and dropped the TV remote after settling on some afternoon cooking program. He hoped that watching it might restore some of his appetite since drinking so much on an empty stomach was making him feel a little light headed. He rolled over to reach across and grab his mug from the coffee table, snorting in disgust when he found it to be empty.

Gerard forced himself up off the couch and shuffled with his mug back to the kitchen to fill it up with the coffee keeping warm in the pot. He yawned and rubbed his eyes, wanting to sleep but knowing he wouldn’t be able to, especially with so much coffee in his system. He would have to cut out the caffeine in the afternoon and stick just to the whisky if he had any hope of falling asleep that night. 

As he wandered back into the living room and looked at Frank’s canvas hanging on the wall he wondered fleetingly how the merman was doing. He didn’t suppose that he was drinking himself into a stupor or really feeling that agonized at all. He was probably just sucking it up and getting on with things. He was probably so much stronger than Gerard.

This thought did nothing to make the artist feel better and he poured a generous helping of Irish cream into his coffee. He stirred it round with a chopstick he had found under the sofa and then flopped back down amidst the cushions to drink. His eyes stared blankly at the TV where a woman was explaining how to make the perfect Victoria sponge and his stomach clenched in distaste. Whether at the thought of food or at the next onslaught of coffee and alcohol it was impossible to tell. 

xXx

Frank stuck close to Bob as he and seven other mermen swam quietly through the dark waters. It was late; the town meeting had taken a lot longer than Frank had anticipated. There had been much debating, and much arguing, but in the end a vote was taken and only a few people had voted against trying to get rid of the Sirens.

Jamia had swam away in a rage when Marigold had declared that they would begin making a plan on how to attack the colony, but this time Bob didn’t follow her. He stayed to help, and had swam next to Frank to gently squeeze his shoulder in a friendly way. Frank had tensed up at first, not sure if he wanted Bob to be kind to him, but now that they were approaching the Siren’s colony he was glad to have a friend.

The meeting had ended with everyone deciding their best course of action was to send scouts out to confirm how many Sirens there were. Once they had a better understanding of what they were up against they could devise a real plan. Bob had immediately volunteered to be a scout, and Frank had quickly spoken up too. He couldn’t let other mermen lay their lives on the line and not do the same when it was he who had suggested that they fight the Sirens in the first place.

Few people knew exactly where the Sirens had based themselves. Since David’s disappearance those who did know didn’t want to help the scouts. They would only point vaguely in one direction and so Frank, Bob and the other men had had no choice but to swim in that direction and hope they came across something.

Frank felt like they had been swimming for hours with no luck, but whilst the water was dim and they had to sweep as large an area as they could their swimming was slow. By the time they found the Siren’s they were so convinced they weren’t going to see them that they almost stumbled straight into their base.

Frank was the first to spot their forms and he quickly pulled back, gesturing wildly with his hands to get the other men’s attention and make them fall back too. 

The Sirens were not living in a town like Frank was. They had no form of protection, no buildings or caves to sleep in. They had picked a spot on the ocean floor which had little distinguishing features. Other than the usual rocks and shells lying about the space was empty. As such the Sirens were resting on the sand, keeping close together for warmth and safety. Luckily they were all asleep, if they had not been then Frank was sure they would have been spotted and attacked.

For a moment he and the other mermen kept perfectly still, and Frank was sure they were all feeling the same mixture of fear, panic and relief at not being seen. Now that they were at a safer distance they all carefully peered through the water at the sleeping Siren’s and each counted how many they could see.

Because the Sirens were all sleeping so close together Frank counted five times before deciding he had the right number. He nodded at the others to show he had a number in mind and they all waited until everyone was done counting before they quietly and slowly swam around the perimeter of the Sirens base.

Frank kept his eyes wide open and his senses alert. He was checking to see if there were any other Sirens away from the group, or if there were any hiding places or weapons they could take advantage of should the merpeople decide to attack. Once the area had been checked and it was decided that other than a few stray fishing nets the Sirens had access to nothing but the sand Frank, Bob and the other men turned to make their way back to the town.

Once they were completely out of range of the Sirens the men began to talk, quietly whispering over what they had seen and how many Sirens each of them had counted. They had a few number differences, but only by one or two, and it was the general consensus that there had been between ten and twelve Sirens. 

With this knowledge the men fell silent, saying nothing more and all facing forward as they swam back to the town. Frank was thinking over the numbers and trying to be positive it wasn’t bigger. The town had fifty merpeople living in it, but that included women and children. Frank supposed some of the mermaids would want to fight too, but of course children couldn’t… They would have more numbers than the Sirens easily, providing the majority of those able to fight would be willing to. But Sirens were so much more dangerous than merpeople, they were killers… and merpeople were peaceful, non-violent creatures.

Frank wanted to believe that fighting the Sirens would be successful, that they didn’t have anything to worry about. But he kept thinking back to the Siren he had met all those weeks ago, and how even he, a merman in love with a male human, had been so close to swooning over her. She hadn’t even tried to seduce him… Imagine if she had. 

Frank knew, as much as he didn’t want to admit it, that if the Siren’s turned on their charms he and all the other merman – and possible some of the mermaids too – would become putty in their hands. The Sirens would find it only too easy to slaughter them all.


	15. Chapter fifteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys,
> 
> Just a quick note to apologise for the delay in the chapter, I've been super busy with uni work. Talking of which I'm currently conducting research for my final dissertation and I need people to fill in a survey for me. Its only a 10 minute, multiple choice kinda thing so if any of you lovely people are interested in helping a lowly student out that would be amazing and I'll post the link at the end of this if you're interested. The questions do discuss (not in detail) rape and sexual attitudes so please don't take the survey if these are things you don't want to think about.
> 
> Otherwise, all I have to say is this chapter also wasn't beta'd because I just wanted to get it out here, so typos/grammar mistakes I apologise for in advance.
> 
> Survey link - https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3PBL2JJ?c=

Frank lay on his back, staring at the roof of his cave and trying to relax so that he would be able to get to sleep. His photophores were glowing gently, bathing him in a blue light that highlighted the shadows beneath his eyes. He hadn’t been able to sleep since returning to the ocean, he spent most nights tossing and turning, wishing to be back in Gerard’s arms where sleep came so easily.

Frank had been in the sea for over four months now, and still nothing had been done to attack the Sirens. The merpeople had taken some small steps in trying to stop them from killing so many humans, if only to stop themselves from being found if the humans decided to check the sea. Already some diving squads had been out trying to find what was taking the sailors, and some of these had also fallen prey to the Sirens but the merpeople had done all they could to stop this.

The Sirens wouldn’t attack the humans if the merpeople were in their way. They never exchanged words or got close, but just the Sirens seeing the merpeople from a distance could usually make them drift away back to their own town. Only during the day though, when it was night the Sirens would let nothing stop them from swimming to the harbour, and the merpeople had had to flee in a hurry several times when they had tried to stop them.

More and more divers were being sent into the sea, and Frank knew that the humans were growing more and more suspicious. Soon they would find something and this fact was the only thing that was allowing Frank to keep pushing to get the Sirens attacked.

Frank was desperate to protect the humans and return to Gerard, but that evening things had taken a sudden and unexpected jump forward and Frank wasn’t sure how to feel about it…

Over the months that had passed several meetings had been held over the Siren situation. Jamia was still arguing strongly against them taking any further action and even complained about the little they were doing. She refused to speak to Frank outside of the meetings, and the only time she spoke to him in them was when she was refuting something he said. Their lost friendship pained Frank, but he had other things to worry about.

Frank and Bob had managed to mostly rekindle their past relationship and were good friends again. They weren’t as close as they had once been, but Frank knew that Bob was feeling torn between him and Jamia. He was supporting Frank though, which was all Frank could ask for, but in that evenings meeting Bob had done much more than simply support Frank. 

_“If we don’t strike soon then the Sirens are going to start attacking us._ ” He had insisted after the meeting had been called to a start. _“They’ve started to get closer to us every time we patrol the harbour, and I think it’s becoming pretty clear to them that the last thing we want is a fight. They’re going to use that to their advantage and just get rid of us completely if we don’t act NOW.”_

Frank had been expecting most people to ignore Bob’s words, the same way they always ignored him, but to his shock almost everyone had murmured and nodded their agreement. It had then been a simple task for Bob to insist that the Sirens were probably planning to attack them any day now and that the town needed to be prepared, or better still, needed to attack first and take the Sirens by surprise. 

Frank had barely realised what was going on before Marigold was holding a vote and hands were being raised in agreement of all the men and any women who volunteered to gather weapons and attack the Sirens the following evening. Frank had sat stupefied, and only raised his hand when Bob shoved him gently.

Only three women and Jamia had not raised their hands and once the vote was passed Frank had watched in dismay as Jamia swam away after screaming at him that he had doomed them all. It was clear that even though it had been Bob to bring about the decision it was Frank that she blamed.

Lying on his rock in his cave unable to sleep Frank couldn’t help but wonder if Jamia was right. If anyone was hurt or killed the following night it would be his fault. He had been the one had kept pushing the need to attack the Sirens and now it was finally going to happen he was beginning to realise just how dangerous it was going to be.

Worry gnawed at Frank’s insides and made him feel sick, his mind turning over all the different outcomes that could happen. The merpeople winning and coming away unscathed seemed laughably unlikely and he was even considering calling off the whole attack. But he couldn’t abandon the humans… Gerard was relying on him, he was probably wondering why the disappearances hadn’t stopped yet.

Frank groaned and rolled over onto his front, burying his face into the seaweed coating the rock. He wished he hadn’t left Gerard, he wished he hadn’t taken on this task… the responsibility was too much for him. He should have just begged Gerard to take him away from the coastal town. They could have moved somewhere inland and just forgotten about the horror that had taken over the harbour. They could have lived in ignorant bliss and Frank could have just pushed his guilt down whenever it tried to rise. That seemed far more appealing right then than fighting the Sirens did.

As Frank lay on his rock, worrying over everything he felt more than saw a shadow pass over the walls of his caves. The water around him shifted minimally and Frank slowly lifted his head, looking around nervously. His photophores were still glowing, and Frank couldn’t see anyone. Perhaps it had been a fish, or an octopus.

Frank sat up and peered into the darkness that stretched to the back of the cave where he hadn’t managed to spread the photophores yet. He could sense someone looking back at him and he swam up, drifting backwards slightly as his heart began to race. 

“Is someone there?” He called softly, falling still and growing tense when he felt the water around him shift as someone swam out of the darkness and into the soft glow of the photophores.

Frank recognised the lilac eyes peering back at him immediately and he felt a strange clenching in his chest and his stomach. Instinctively he wrapped his arms around his body, blocking body contact as the Siren swam lazily closer, though she paused and just drifted in front of him at a safe distance. 

“W – What are you doing here?” Frank whispered, his heart stuttering and thudding with fear. The Siren had a pained expression on her face but Frank knew she could just be faking it. He couldn’t allow her to seduce him.

“I’ve been watching you.” Frank almost swooned at the sweet tone of the Siren’s voice. He had not forgotten its affect from when he had first met her, but knowing about it couldn’t protect him from it.

“You spied on us some time ago…” The Siren continued softly, her hair seeming to move about her with a life of its own. “We thought you were planning to harm us, so I have been keeping a close eye on you ever since.” 

“You saw us?” Frank breathed, having thought the Sirens had all been asleep that night those months ago. The Siren smirked slightly and nodded, shrugging her dainty shoulders.

“Of course…” She purred as if it should have been obvious. “You foolish merman… We always have one awake to keep watch through the night. It was my turn that night, but don’t worry… I did not tell the others about what I saw.” 

The Siren began to drift about the cave, peering around everywhere and gently touching the algae over the walls. Frank watched her, frozen with fear. 

“Why not?” He finally managed to breathe out, not sure why the Siren was here or what she wanted from him. But he couldn’t believe that she saw them that night and didn’t tell her group. 

“I met you once.” The Siren was gazing at the photophores, her face full of sorrow but somehow mixed with determination. She refused to look at Frank as she spoke. “You are the merman who is in love with a human.” 

There was a pause and Frank wondered if he was expected to give some sort of an answer, but his mouth wouldn’t move. There was nothing he could think of to say anyway. He didn’t want Gerard to be mentioned, he was terrified of him getting brought into something dangerous. 

“I could have killed you that day we met.” The Siren continued speaking quietly when Frank didn’t. “And you… You could have tried to kill me too.” The Siren finally turned to look at Frank though she didn’t move away from the wall. “You were afraid of me, I could tell, but you spoke to me that day as you would have spoken to any other… So I let you go. I did not expect you to ever return to the sea, I thought you would stay with your human.” 

The Siren swam back into the centre of the cave, drifting down to sit on the rock Frank had vacated. She curled her long, silver tail beneath herself and peered at Frank curiously through her long eyelashes. 

“You did not love him enough?”

“No!” Frank blurted out the word without thinking, his heart searing as if it had been stabbed at the prospect of him not loving Gerard. “Leaving him to return here was the hardest thing I’ve ever done! But I had to do it!” Frank spoke passionately, clenching his fists, but when the Siren smiled he blushed and quickly curled back in on himself. He realised he should not have talked, and that he had revealed too much.

“I see…” The Siren sighed, idly running her fingers over the scales on her tail as if Frank’s words had not interested her at all. For a while she didn’t speak, but then gradually she lifted her gaze again and her face grew cold. 

“Your town held a vote today.” She stated bluntly, Frank’s face growing red as he blushed and lowered his gaze, trying not to look guilty. “I’ve come here to tell you to call off this attack that you plan.” 

Frank looked at the Siren in surprise, biting his lip. He was tempted to agree immediately and not just because the Sirens charms were weaving around him. He opened his mouth and then hesitated. He hadn’t been the one to raise the vote, it had been Bob, and he doubted if he told everyone now that he didn’t want the attack to go ahead no one would listen to him. And he couldn’t let the humans be killed. 

“I…” Frank considered for a moment, taking a deep breath and picturing Gerard in his mind to combat the Sirens attempts to woo him. “I will call off the attack,” he told her, “if you take your clan and go far away from him and leave the sailors alone.” 

The Siren raised her eyebrows at Frank, though the rest of her face remained perfectly neutral. She considered his words for a moment, mostly just surprised that he had tried to make a deal with her. Part of her wanted to agree and part ways with an amicable peace treaty in place. But she knew there was no way she would be able to persuade the other Sirens to leave.

“I can’t do that.” She finally spoke, her voice cold and calm. “You will call off the attack, or I will kill your human.” 

Frank’s whole body jolted as if he had been electrocuted, his heart starting to clench as if it was inside an iron vice and he shook his head. 

“What? No, you can’t do that.” Frank narrowed his eyes suspiciously, trying not to let himself grow panicked. “Gerard isn’t a sailor, and he knows about you and your kind. He would never come onto the sea.” 

“Oh wouldn’t he?” The Siren smiled sweetly, rising up from the rock and shaking her head. “You think the only power we have against man is our charms? Don’t be such a fool merman.” She scoffed, swimming past Frank and brushing her arm against his, making him shudder. 

“We can coax any man onto the sea if we want to, the only thing we need is a deep connection with them.” The Siren turned to look at Frank, scowling at him. “You have that connection, and it would be only too easy for me to take it from you.”

“What do you mean?” Frank whispered, starting to back off deeper into his cave. He had never heard of Sirens being able to do anything with a connection before and he wasn’t sure how his connection with Gerard could be manipulated. He wanted to believe the Siren was lying to him, but he didn’t want to risk Gerard getting hurt. 

“It’s simple really…” The Siren cooed, swimming up to Frank without hesitation and suddenly gripping his wrists. She leant into him and kissed him before Frank could do anything, her soft lips sending Frank’s head into a spin and he gasped in delight. 

For the few seconds that Frank was kissed he was unable to think. He couldn’t remember who he was, or where he was, his entire being had been taken over by the Siren and when she pulled away he was left gasping on the cave floor. 

The Siren sighed and drifted back a few feet, feeling a deep hatred as she watched Frank trying to compose himself. A Sirens kiss was intense for merpeople, and for humans it was deadly. Sirens could not love, their embrace killed any they tried to make a life with, human or otherwise. 

Once Frank was able to sit up and look around again the Siren took a deep breath to compose herself and appear calm again. 

“To kiss the lips that have loved your human is all I need… You said his name was Gerard?” The Siren smiled darkly, swimming towards the mouth of the cave. “Well merman, I suggest if you ever want to see Gerard alive again, you will do what I asked.” 

Frank watched in quiet bewilderment as the Siren left his cave, his whole body feeling icy cold and weak. He didn’t know what to do, or what to even believe anymore. All he knew was that he couldn’t let anyone hurt Gerard, even if meant sacrificing every other human in the world… He had to keep Gerard safe. 

xXx

Bob looked at Frank anxiously; the younger merman looked ill, like he hadn’t slept for a week. He was pale and there was a green tinge around his gills. His eyes were bloodshot and darkly shadowed and he was swimming about restlessly as if he had something important to say. 

“So… You nervous for tonight?” Bob tried to start a conversation, guessing the reason Frank was looking so run down was because of the prospect of trying to fight the Sirens. He was nervous himself, just like everyone else in the town was. “We’ll be okay you know…”

“I don’t think we should fight anymore.” Frank blurted out the words suddenly, as if he had been fighting with the urge to say them all morning. He stopped his swimming around and turned to face Bob with wide, frightened eyes, worried about his reaction but Bob just looked at him with confused eyes. 

“I… What?” Bob wasn’t sure what to say, Frank had been pushing for this for months. He could understand if he was nervous but he didn’t think that was a good enough reason to want to call it off completely. 

“I thought you wanted this… What about the humans?” As much as Frank had been trying to persuade everyone to fight with the whole ‘the town is at risk’ angle Bob had not been fooled. He knew that Frank wanted to get rid of the Sirens for the humans but Bob didn’t care, he wanted to get rid of the Sirens too and so what did it matter what Frank’s reasons were.

“I just think it might be too dangerous.” Frank mumbled timidly, wringing his hands together. He didn’t want to reveal the truth to Bob, he couldn’t let anyone know that he had fallen in love with a human and if he told Bob about being threatened by the Siren then he’d have to reveal everything. 

“I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if anyone got killed.” Frank continued, feeling more and more embarrassed as Bob stared at him like he had gone crazy. “Jamia is right, it would be all my fault.”

“What?” Bob raised his eyebrows in surprise and then scoffed, waving his hand. “Don’t listen to her Frank, she’s just angry that you were gone so long.” Bob shrugged like it was nothing, but his cheeks had gone pink. He always got embarrassed when he talked about the way Jamia was treating Frank, he didn’t like it and he had talked to her several times trying to persuade her it was time to let the grudge go but it always just caused an argument. 

“We have to fight Frank.” Bob insisted, swimming closer to Frank and gently touching his shoulder. “I know you want to do this to help the humans, but you’re not wrong when you say that the town is at risk too. This is my _home_ and I need to protect it…” Bob hesitated a little, seeing that he wasn’t getting through to Frank. “Even if you refuse to fight, I’m going to. And I’ll make sure everyone else joins me. It won’t be your responsibility at all, _I_ want to do this and so I’m going to do, with or without your blessing.”

Frank looked at Bob with wide eyes and parted lips, his heart racing. Usually he would have been grateful that Bob was so determined to fight, and that he was willing to take all responsibility off Frank’s shoulders as well. But now the words only filled him with dread. Bobs blue eyes were full of determination and Frank knew there was no way he would be able to stop him.

“Bob please….” He breathed, turning to face his friend properly. He lay his hands on his shoulders and squeezed tight, holding his gaze and trying to make it clear in his face how serious he was being. “I’m _begging_ you Bob please don’t fight. If you do something terrible will happen.”

“What are you talking about?” Bob frowned, starting to feel confused and suspicious as he gazed at Frank. “What’s going on Frank, why are you being like this?” 

Frank blushed, drifting away from Bob and bowing his head. “I… It’s nothing. Just trust me… _Please_.” 

Bob sighed, shaking his head slowly and feeling a hint of dread swirl in his stomach. He could tell that Frank was panicking, and he wondered if he should listen and call off the fight. But it had taken so long just to get people to agree to help, if they called it off now he didn’t think they would ever be able to gather the whole town together to fight again. 

“I do trust you Frank.” Bob said slowly, gazing at Frank with sad eyes. “But I can’t call off this fight. I’m sorry.”

xXx

Gerard was lying on the sofa just like he had been most days the past four months. He had attempted to do some painting that morning but had soon given up and chose instead to drink the day away. He had been doing that a lot… too much really… He had been painting so little that his income was dwindling away rapidly. When he did paint it felt like so much effort for him that he just rushed to finish quicker and as such the few paintings he did finish just weren’t good enough to sell. He had managed to sell some older work, but it just wasn’t enough to fund his new drinking habits and pay his rent.

Gerard was close to his family, and he kept in contact with them a lot. But he hadn’t had to beg his mum to pay his rent for him since he had been a college student… For the past three months though he had managed to keep the roof over his head only thanks to his mother. It was a risky tactic, he rarely called her now, too nervous she would hear the depression in his voice. When he did call her she would worry incessantly and had threatened several times to send his brother Mikey over to check on him. Luckily he was so far from home that so far he had been able to escape having Mikey turn up on his doorstep, but he feared it would only be a matter of time.

Gerard sighed and ran a hand over his eyes, the guilt of his actions just consuming him. He knew he needed to stop being so pitiful and just get back to work, but whenever he thought he would be able to do it he would start painting and it was like a dark shadow would just take hold of him. He was wrapped in a shroud of sorrow and nothing could take him from it but Frank.

Each of the four months which has passed since Frank had left felt like a lifetime. Gerard was beginning to wholly believe that Frank had forgotten him, or wouldn’t return. Why would he? He had his own life in the ocean, merpeople he had spent his whole life with… why would he give that up for a man he had only spent two months with? 

It was this mind-set that was making it so hard for Gerard to cope. He knew he was acting like a sulky child and was doing the exact opposite of what he should be doing. But no one had made him feel like Frank did, he had been in a five year long relationship and had never felt as in love as he did with Frank in their short time together and now he was imagining never seeing him again he just didn’t want to motivate himself to do anything.

Gerard sipped straight from his bottle of whisky, gazing blankly at the TV, not even sure what he was watching. It was starting to grow dark outside and he felt cold, but he couldn’t summon the energy to move off the sofa to fetch a blanket. Frank was on his mind again and he knew he was going to end up spending the whole night thinking of him and growing more and more depressed.

Gerard didn’t know how long he lay on the sofa wallowing in self-pity, but he was just beginning to drift to sleep when a strange feeling suddenly took over him. 

The living room was dark, lit up only by the glow from the TV and Gerard looked around with sleepy eyes. He was feeling confused and dazed, getting to his feet slowly. He walked to the window and gazed out at the black sky. He couldn’t see any stars and he guessed there were too many clouds. He suddenly longed to go the sea, his whole body aching fiercely and somehow he just knew the only thing that could soothe it would be the cold salt water.

Gerard closed his eyes and swayed on the spot for a moment, a strange feeling coming over him like a breeze was caressing his skin but the window was shut tight. The imaginary breeze was also whispering his name… He could feel it more than hear it, but he knew what it was saying. It was calling him. 

“Frankie…” Gerard’s heart squeezed and he knew he needed to follow the thing calling him. His chest felt tight and he couldn’t breathe, he had to get to the sea.

Gerard walked as if in a daze, his eyes swirling darkly as he hurried across his apartment, ignoring the TV. As he passed the kitchen he looked in at the knife block on the counter and something buried deep inside him screamed at him to arm himself. The voice was buried quickly once more, taken over by the gentle, seductive voice cooing his name. 

Gerard’s legs seemed to be trying to drag him to the door and a strange battle raged inside him as he gazed at the knives. It wasn’t Frank calling him to the ocean… how could it be? But something was… Gerard remembered Frank’s words about how seductive Sirens were and with a huge amount of strength he managed to force his unwilling body into the kitchen. He grabbed the longest knife from the knife block and slide it beneath his shirt, the blade resting behind his belt buckle as he then surrendered himself to the invisible breeze pushing him and allowed himself to be led from the apartment and outside into the night air.

xXx

“Frank! Frank where are you going!?” 

Frank ignored Bobs shouts, his tail undulating rapidly as he swam after the Siren who had visited him in his cave the night before. Her longer tail allowed her to swim much faster than Frank, and the dark water was making it difficult for Frank to keep her in his sight, but he refused to lose her… As soon as the fighting had broken out he had met her gaze and seen the expression on her face and he knew she was going to go after Gerard.

Frank had continued to try and persuade Bob to call off the fighting that night, and when he had been unable to he had tried to plea to individual merpeople instead but it was simply too late. The decision had been made and no one wanted to hear him changing his mind. They all told him not to be so nervous, and that he had to master his fear and turn it into strength… No one had understood that he simply couldn’t.

Now Frank’s fears were coming to light. The fighting had begun, Gerard was in danger and he wasn’t able to help the merpeople with their battle. He dared to glance behind him and instantly regretted it. The Sirens didn’t look nervous at all, and though they could not seduce the mermaids the mermen were all just floating uselessly on the outskirts of the battle, clearly already under the charm of the Sirens. Only Bob seemed immune, unnoticed by the Sirens as he gazed after Frank and shouted at him to return.  
Frank squeezed his eyes shut and then carried on chasing the Siren, Bob’s voice growing quiet and he hoped it was simply out of range and not that the blonde had also been caught in the Sirens charms. He had the horrible feeling that he was leaving his town to a massacre, but he couldn’t turn back when Gerard needed him. 

Frank followed the Siren further and further away from the fight, and closer to the harbour. His lungs were burning and his tail and muscles ached, but he couldn’t slow down. He forced himself to think about Gerard to give him the strength to continue, but he couldn’t even see the Siren anymore. He only hoped that he would be able to find her at the harbour, he was guessing that was where she was heading. He wouldn’t even allow himself to consider not finding her… He _had_ to find her, Gerard would die if he didn’t.

xXx

The water was freezing and Gerard shivered violently as he waded into it. His eyes were open but he wasn’t even seeing anymore, he had been completely taken over by the seductive voice in his head and he was nothing more than a marionette on a Sirens strings. 

The knife in his belt had been forgotten, just like everything else had been forgotten. He could feel the cool wind blowing and the freezing temperature of the water as he walked deeper and deeper, just like he could feel his shoes getting stuck in the sand and slipping off his feet; but he couldn’t feel his love for Frank or the fear of swimming in the dead of night in Siren infested waters. It was like his brain had been half shut down.

Gerard walked until the water became too deep and then he swam. His clothes were weighing him down but he barely noticed, whenever he sank beneath the waves he just struggled more so that his head remained above the water and he could breathe.

He swam until the harbour wall was almost a mile away and no one would be able to see him from the land, not that anyone would be looking anyway. The harbour was usually abandoned now, even during the day. As soon as Gerard was far enough away though a head appeared above the waves. 

Gerard’s eyebrows rose in surprise and he stared in amazement at the beautiful eyes gazing back at him. The woman’s face was expressionless, gazing at him as if she hadn’t been expecting to see him there. In the back of Gerard’s head he was aware that he was looking at a Siren, but the knowledge was so buried by the lust he was beginning to feel that he simply continued swimming eagerly towards the beautiful woman.

Gerard had never seen a more beautiful creature in his life. He had never been attracted to women, but suddenly all he could feel was the need to touch the Siren. His heart was racing erratically and something inside him was screaming, Frank’s image kept appearing in his mind and making him hesitate but then the Siren would bat her eyelashes or smile at him and the hesitation would be gone. 

“Gerard…” The Siren began to coo, her voice like the sweetest music, weaving around Gerard and making his head spin. “Come to me Gerard…”

Gerard wasn’t about to refuse the gorgeous woman. He swam faster, desperate to take her slender form in his arms. His soaked jeans were like a weight dragging him down, but the Siren reached out to him and took him tenderly by the hands as soon as he was close enough.

“What a handsome man.” The Siren breathed, Gerard’s ego inflating tenfold and he grinned stupidly as he swam into the Sirens arms. She smiled sweetly at him, her lilac eyes drawing him in. Gerard stared at her, drowning in her gaze and gasping sharply when her lips suddenly touched his and his entire world seemed to explode.

The Siren wrapped her arms around Gerard and kissed him gently as she began to drift beneath the waves, pulling the artist down with her. He had become a dead weight in her arms, his mouth slack as she kissed him and he released soft groans of discomfort into her mouth.

The Siren closed her eyes as she twirled down towards the ocean floor, kissing Gerard and drawing the life right out of him. She took no pleasure in what she did, killing men from a kiss alone was the Sirens curse. They could not love, and it was their grudge against nature that caused them to kill. 

“Mm… Nngh….” Gerard’s eyelids were fluttering but the salt water blinded him so that all he could see was black. The Siren’s lips were soft on his, like the lips of an angel but he knew that they were killing him. Now that he was released from the charm all he could think about was Frank and he wished that he could call out to him but his lips were paralysed just like the rest of his body.

The Siren cupped Gerard’s face, deepening the kiss and letting his body drift down as his eyes shut and his muscles relaxed. He slumped down to the ocean floor as the Siren released him, his body crumpling just as a blur of red and black sped past and collided into the Siren.

Frank hit the Siren at full speed, screaming in her face and crying as he pushed her back as far as he could. Once his momentum ran out he used his fists to hit her, pounding into her as he sobbed and shouted. He couldn’t create words, too overcome with anger and sorrow, he could only make animalistic cries as he plummeted to the ocean floor, the Siren beneath him.

Gerard was motionless in the sand and Frank spared him a glance, his heart lurching when he saw him. He was pale and clearly not conscious. Maybe even dead. All Frank knew was that even if he wasn’t dead he needed to be taken to the surface or he would drown.

“Gerard–” Frank suddenly released the Siren, going to rush to Gerard’s aid but cool hands suddenly grasped his caudal fin and yanked him backwards with surprising strength. “NO G-“

Frank suddenly found himself beneath the Siren, his tail thrashing against hers as he tried to push her off him. Her hands suddenly grasped his throat, smothering his gills and gripping tight to block his airways. Frank tried to gasp but his blocked gills couldn’t take in the water and he began to suffocate.

As Frank struggled with the Siren it soon became clear that he wasn’t going to be able to push her away from him. He had completely underrated her strength and his mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, trying to take in oxygen but he could nothing with the hands clasped tightly around his throat.

Frank turned his bulging eyes to Gerard, wanting him to be the last thing he saw. Even if he was dead, his beautiful face would be enough to make death less terrifying. Perhaps he would join him somewhere, he knew that some humans believed in an afterlife… perhaps merpeople could go there too.

Frank could feel his heart swelling and bursting with the need for oxygen and the hint of a smile crept over his face as he looked at Gerard and thought about joining him somewhere in paradise. Frank closed his eyes to let death take him, relaxing into the sand.

Suddenly the Siren’s hands released Frank’s throat, a deathly cry escaping her lips and Frank’s eyes shot open again as he sucked in a deep, lungful of air. 

“FRANK! GET THE HUMAN!” 

For a minute Frank couldn’t understand what was happening, but then he saw Bob, a harpoon in his hand pressed deep into the Siren’s chest and dark, black blood was spreading through the water like mist. Frank felt paralysed, unable to move but then he realised what Bob’s words meant and his need to save Gerard forced him up from the sand and he shot towards his lover. 

Franks body felt weakened from his near suffocation, but he summoned up the strength to grab Gerard by the shirt and hoist him up. His body was like a dead weight, his skin pale and his lips blue. His dark hair seemed blacker than ever, a halo of shadow around his head as Frank swam with all his might towards the surface, his hands beneath Gerard’s arms.

Frank broke the surface at high speed, plunging up so that his shoulders were exposed but then he sank down again, getting dragged by Gerard’s body. He struggled to keep him supported above the water, his heart racing and his breath coming in short, sharp pants as he panicked. He hoped that Bob was okay, but in that moment Gerard was more important.

“It’s okay Gee… Its okay, I’m going to save you okay? Just don’t be dead, _please_ don’t be dead… I love you so much.” Frank didn’t even notice that he was crying as he spoke, struggling to swim back to the harbour wall. 

“Frankie!” Frank glanced over his shoulder and sobbed with relief as Bob appeared, swimming fast towards him and taking hold of one of Gerard’s arms for him. “Let me help you.” Bob’s eyes were bright and sympathetic and Frank could only nod gratefully at him.

Together the two merman carried Gerard to the harbour where Bob helped hoist him up onto the wall before helping Frank clamber up there himself. Bob hung on the edge, only his head showing above the wall. Frank lay on the harbour path, his tail stretching out behind him as he looked at Gerard, tears streaking down his cheeks. 

“Is he…” Bob trailed off, not sure what to say. He wasn’t sure what a Sirens kiss did to people, he had only ever heard stories but they were all different. 

“He… He needs to get the water out of his lungs. Humans drown if they have water there.” Frank whispered, his hands shaking as they hovered over Gerard’s chest. He knew very little about how to save him, he only knew what he had seen on TV when he had been on land but none of it made sense to him. It was better than just sitting and giving up on Gerard though so he did all he could.

Bob kept quiet as he watched Frank clasp his hands over Gerard’s chest and began to press with force. He wasn’t sure what he was doing, but he assumed Frank knew something he didn’t so he didn’t question it. He desperately wanted the human to be okay, it was obvious he was important to Frank. He supposed he was the man Frank had said he had made friends with, but the way he was looking at him Bob suspected they were more than just friends. 

Frank wasn’t sure how to tell if what he was doing had any effect, and he was beginning to lose hope when suddenly Gerard’s mouth opened and he coughed violently, water splashing up between his lips. 

“Gerard!?” Frank jumped back in shock before he seized the artist by the shoulders and tipped him onto his side to let the water run out of his mouth. 

“Hit his back!” Bob offered helpfully, watching as Frank did as he suggested and thumped hard on Gerard’s back, forcing him to continue coughing and choke up more water. 

“He’s alive Frankie.” Bob laughed with relief, feeling tears prick at his own eyes. “Look, he’s alive!” 

Frank laughed through a sob, nodding his head and crying as he rubbed Gerard’s back once he had finished coughing. He was taking deep, rattling breaths and he was still an awful greyish colour, but as long as he was breathing then Frank knew he could help him.

“I have to get some humans here, they need to take him to a hospital.” Frank looked up and around but no one was there. He bit his lip, not sure what to do. He knew the number for an ambulance but he didn’t have a phone and Gerard’s cell wasn’t in his pockets when he checked. He found the knife though and only sobbed harder knowing that even in his hypnotised state Gerard had managed to break out of it long enough to try and protect himself, even if it hadn’t worked.

Frank looked about desperately, trying to explain to Bob what he was looking for when his eyes landed on it. A payphone. 

“There!” He gasped, pointing at it across the street and feeling panic suddenly settle over him. “I need to get over there…”

“What? Frankie you… How? Its too risky, if a human appears you’ll be caught.” Bob gasped, shaking his head but Frank was already struggling to sit up. 

“I have to… Bob he’ll _die_ if I don’t. You need to come down here and guard him for me.” Frank looked at Bob with intense eyes, his face determined and though Bob opened his mouth to argue he didn’t manage to emit a word before he sighed and slid over the wall and dropped onto the hard ground beside Gerard. His tail made a horrible slapping sound on the slabs, but he wasn’t hurt. 

“Okay… Okay… Be quick.” Bob looked at Frank with terrified eyes, gently taking over rubbing Gerard’s back as a lump rose in his throat. 

“I will.” Frank nodded, looking about quickly. “If anyone comes then get back into the water.” He told Bob softly, looking at him seriously to show he meant it, he wasn’t going to get Bob caught too. “I’ll be as quick as I can.” He whispered before Bob could protest, and then he was rushing away.

Bob watched as Frank used his arms to drag his torso and tail across the road. The further away he got the more frightened Bob felt, but he just continued to rub Gerard’s back and keep watch in case anyone appeared.

Frank felt hideous as he dragged himself across the road. The asphalt felt painful as it rubbed his stomach and tail, but he didn’t care. He had to get to the payphone. He focused on it like it was a holy beacon and used all his strength to drag his body to it. Once he reached it he stretched up, groaning as he tried to use the muscles in his tail to raise his body even further.

“Come on…” Frank groaned, clenching his teeth as he swiped the phone off the hook and stretched his arm up higher. The 9 button was reached quick enough, but the 1 was much harder. But Frank stretched and worked his tail until his finger grazed across the button and he managed to swipe it twice. 

Immediately Frank dropped back down and pressed the phone to his ear, the cord stretched down. He listened intently, sighing with relief when it actually worked and a cool female voice spoke to him.

“911 What’s your emergency?”

“There’s a man injured at the harbour.” Frank spoke rapidly, looking about with nervous eyes but the area was still deserted. “I don’t know the name of the area exactly, but he’s opposite the rusty anchor pub. I think he might have almost drowned you have to come quickly.” 

“Okay sir, please calm down and just answer a few questions.”

Frank held onto the phone tight as he spoke to the operator, answering her questions about Gerard’s condition. Once she asked for his name though he shook his head, insisting he couldn’t say anymore. He hung up soon after, abandoning the phone and letting it hang off the hook as he struggled back across the road. 

Bob was watching Frank and waving at him frantically to hurry, Frank moved faster, the muscles in his arms burning by the time he made it back to Bob but to his immense shock it was to find Gerard’s eyes were open and looking at him.

“Gerard!?” Frank felt his heart miss a beat and tears spilt down his cheeks as he rushed to his lover and gripped his hands. “Gerard, are you okay?”

“F…. Fr – ank…ie…” Gerard’s voice was rough and it sounded like it hurt him to speak, but Frank still grinned in relief and cried as he leant down and kissed Gerard’s cold lips gently. 

“Gee… Oh God… I was so scared…” He whispered, gripping Gerard’s hands tightly and smiling when he heard a pained, raspy ‘I love you’. “I love you too…” He breathed back, kissing Gerard again and shaking as he held onto him. “I’ve called an ambulance okay, you’re going to be fine…”

“Don’t… Don’t g –go…” Gerard gasped, gripping Frank’s hand tight and trying to keep him to him. “P… Please…” 

“I have to Gee, I have to go.” Frank sobbed, wishing desperately that he didn’t but he couldn’t remain on land as a merman. “I’ll be back Gee… You know I will, when the year is over I’ll be back.” He sobbed, pressing his face into Gerard’s neck. “When you’re better, come back here… If the Siren attacks stop then come back here at night and I’ll see you…”

“Frank we need to go.” Bob suddenly whispered, the sound of sirens sounding faintly in the distance and Frank looked up with sparkling eyes. Gerard had begun to cry too, shaking his head as he desperately held onto Frank’s hands. 

“Frank, the town needs us. We need to go back and _fight_.” Bob urged, already pulling himself up onto the harbour wall. “Frank _please_.” 

Frank looked at Bob, swallowing thickly as he nodded. He turned back to Gerard, meeting his gaze and tenderly running his thumb along his cheek. 

“I love you…” He whispered, his words strong and genuine and he smiled as Gerard whimpered the words back. “I have to go though Gee… We’re fighting the Sirens and my town needs me.” Frank sighed as he kissed Gerard again, his lips lingering though as he ached to stay with him. “Remember what I said about coming here…”

Frank pulled back and struggled not to break down into tears again as he struggled to the wall and hoisted himself up onto it. He stopped when Gerard suddenly gasped his name and looked over his shoulder at him, half over the wall. 

“Frankie… I… B – Be safe…” Gerard croaked, his eyes terrified and Frank smiled weakly at him, nodding his head. 

“I love you.” He whispered one final time before dropping over the other side of the wall and disappearing into the water with a splash just as blue flashing lights appeared at the end of the road.


	16. Chapter sixteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guy, I just want to apologise again for another horribly late chapter. Its also kind of short but damn, it felt like it took me forever to write. I have once again posted unbeta-d because of the length it took to write, and I just hope the next couple chapters will come quicker.   
> I'm guessing I only have one or two chapters left of this whole story, so please bear with me we're almost done.   
> xo

The ocean floor held the scene of devastation that the fight between the merpeople and Sirens had left. The Sirens were all dead, largely thanks to Bob and his harpoon. Their black blood spread out from their wounds like misty tendrils that wouldn’t dissolve into the water. It was unlike anything Frank had ever seen before, and it made him feel uneasy as he swam slowly past every pale body, making sure that they all were really dead.

Frank’s skin crawled from the way dead, open eyes stared at him and he kept his arms tight to his body, trying to make sure he didn’t touch a single tentacle of blood. His heart was racing and a lump in his throat was making him feel suffocated, but he pushed on, checking the Sirens whilst Bob checked the merpeople.

When the two mermen had made it back from helping Gerard it had been clear the merpeople were losing. Most of the women had fled, and the few men left were either dead already or about to be killed, trapped by the charms of the Sirens. Frank had watched in horror as one by one men were kissed until their life left them, their soulless bodies sinking to the ocean floor, skin now grey and veins standing out in stark relief. 

Frank’s sexuality and love for Gerard had managed to keep him from getting seduced himself, but he had seen that Bob was struggling. He had picked up his harpoon on the way back, but as soon as they came into the realm of the sirens his grip had grown slack and no matter what Frank shouted at him he couldn’t stop him from drifting towards a Siren who held her arms out to him. The only thing that had saved them was Jamia.

Jamia had refused to join the fight, but she appeared then as if from nowhere. When all the women had started to return to the town in panic Jamia had feared the worst and couldn’t stop herself from hurrying to see if Bob was okay. When she had seen him then, swimming, dazed towards one of the Sirens she had cried out at him to stop. 

Bob had spared Jamia just a small glance, just long enough to witness a Siren send a rock smashing down into her skull and for her blood to start misting through the water, staining it red for a long moment. 

The spell on Bob had cracked just as suddenly as Jamia’s skull, and with a scream filled with pure agony he had charged through the water, slicing with his harpoon and killing Siren after Siren as Frank had remained paralyzed, unable to do anything but stare and try to realise that what was he was seeing was real and not just a terrible nightmare.

As the Sirens fell to Bobs fury Frank had swam towards Jamia without thinking. He felt like he was moving in slow motion, or like he was watching one of those human films. It just didn’t feel real. This couldn’t happen, these kinds of things just didn’t happen… But no matter how much he tried to make the scene around him disappear, he couldn’t do it.

Frank had fallen to Jamia’s side but he had only been there for a few seconds before Bob was pushing him out of the way, sobbing Jamia’s name as he lifted her into a sitting position in his arms. 

Frank had hovered uncertainly by Bob’s shoulder for a long moment before the merman had told him to make sure all the Sirens were dead, unable to move himself for a long time.

Frank could hear Bob trying to wake Jamia up when he had first swam away, but he didn’t try long. Bob was a practical man and soon he realised it was clear Jamia wasn’t going to open her eyes so he forced himself to take a deep breath and swim around the rest of the fallen merpeople, praying he would find a survivor, but just like all the Sirens were dead, so were the mermen.

Frank turned to face Bob after checking the final Siren, bile rising in his throat. They were all dead, but Frank felt no pleasure knowing that technically the town was now safe. By the looks of things too many were dead for them to even classify as a town anymore. 

“Bob.” Frank’s voice wavered and he blushed, clearing his throat. He was trying to be strong, trying to think of something positive but there was nothing. He was full of dread, terrified that he was about to confirm Jamia’s death and he wasn’t sure he could cope. He hadn’t even been able to make amends with her, she couldn’t be gone. 

“They’re all dead.” Bob whispered, not turning to look at Frank. His voice was gruff, strained from how he was trying to talk through his tears. He was staring down at the bodies of the merpeople strewn around them, disgusted by their prominent veins and ashen skin. He knew they would need to be taken back to the town and given a respectful send off, but Bob wasn’t sure he could handle even touching their bodies. They didn’t look like the men he remembered anymore, the Siren’s had pulled the souls right out of them and there was something otherworldly and ominous about their corpses.

“The Sirens are all dead too.” Frank whispered, swimming closer to the blonde man and going to place his hand on his shoulder, but in the end he hesitated and drew his hand back. He was wracked with guilt and he wasn’t sure whether Bob would want him to comfort him or not. 

“We should move the bodies.” Bob still didn’t look at Frank, it was as if he was unable to pull his eyes away from the merman he was staring at. “And the Sirens… we shouldn’t leave them here either.”

“And Jamia?” Frank didn’t like the sound of moving the Sirens bodies, especially with their blood suspended around them like something solid. He decided to ignore the suggestion instead and just ask the question that was burning in him. He was angling his body towards Jamia, going to swim to her, but he wanted Bob to join him. Perhaps she wasn’t dead, perhaps she was just unconscious and they could still save her. 

“She –”

“She’s gone.” Bob spoke quickly, as if he was trying to spit the words out before they got lodged in his mouth. Frank stared at the back of his head for a long moment, trying to let those words sink in but they couldn’t. They sounded all wrong… They sounded like a lie. 

“I… No… Are you sure?” Frank turned to start swimming towards her body, her blood now dissolved into the water so that she looked almost peaceful, like she was simply sleeping. There was blood staining her hair, and a long crack down the back of her skull but it was frighteningly easy to look past that and believe that she was still alive. 

Bob turned slowly, tears making his eyes blood shot. He watched Frank swimming towards the mermaid and felt anger start to rise inside him. In his grief he could feel himself starting to blame the younger man even though deep down he knew this was his fault too. Frank had wanted to call the fight off but Bob had insisted… But he couldn’t bring himself to accept that Jamia’s death was his fault, he needed to blame someone other than himself he was going to cope at all.

“She’s dead Frank!” Bob shouted the words before he even realised he was thinking them, flicking his tail harshly and sending a spray of sand over one of the mermen’s bodies as he swam rapidly after Frank. “I wouldn’t say she wasn’t if I wasn’t fucking sure! Her brains are all over the sand, but if you think you can still save her be my guest!”

Frank winced but ignored Bob’s words, reaching Jamia and sinking down beside her body. Bobs tone had been clearly venomous, and Frank knew that he was being blamed for what had happened. But Frank couldn’t blame Bob, he was blaming himself too…

“Jay…” Frank’s chest felt like it was being crushed as he gently touched Jamia’s shoulders with his hands and delicately brushed her hair off her face. Her eyes were open and her mouth was wide, her face frozen in the terror she had felt in her last moments of life. 

Frank’s hands shook as he tenderly slid the mermaids eyelids closed, his heart racing so fast it felt as though it was going to speed out of his chest. He felt sick and his throat hurt, but he couldn’t bring himself to cry. He was somewhat more composed than Bob as he gently closed Jamia’s jaw too and then inspected the damage to her head.

It was obvious that there was nothing that could be done. Jamia was dead and already her skin was losing its colour. Frank was too afraid to move her in case her skull fell apart, he wanted her to remain beautiful in death, he didn’t want to take back a mutilated corpse. 

Once Frank had done all he could he sat back on his tail and just stared at Jamia. A million things were going through his head but he could focus on none of them, they just blurred together to make a tangle of sadness that consumed him. This was all his fault, he knew that, and now Jamia was dead and he had never had chance to apologise for leaving her for so long. The few survivors left in the town would all have to grieve over the many dead, and Frank couldn’t help but wonder if it wouldn’t be better for them to all have been killed. At least then he wouldn’t have to face the difficulty of going back and giving them the awful news. 

“So?” Frank jumped, having almost forgotten about Bob floating behind him. “Can you save her, oh amazing one? I saved your stupid human, can you bring back the woman who was supposed to be your mate?” 

“You know I can’t…” Frank whispered, bowing his head and squeezing his eyes shut. “I wish that I could.”

“That’s not good enough.” Bob growled, suddenly grabbing Frank’s shoulder and wrenching him upwards. He spun him round so that they were face to face and Frank was forced to look at the pain shining in Bob’s eyes. It was suddenly painfully obvious that Bob had loved her, and that just made Frank feel worse. 

“Bob I loved her too ya know, in my own way I did lo –”

Bob’s fist crunched into Frank’s jaw before he even had chance to register that it was coming towards him. He gasped and flew backwards, clutching his jaw and finally tears began to make his vision blur, brought on by the pain blossoming across the side of his face. He stared at Bob with wide eyes, but he supposed he shouldn’t be shocked. 

“This is all your fault.” Bob whispered, his words spat with hate that made Frank’s stomach sink. “If you hadn’t come back none of this would have happened… You only wanted us to fight because of the humans and now everyone is _dead_ because of _you_.” 

“I didn’t want any of this.” Frank whispered, his voice gruff as he cradled the side of his face. “ _You_ were the one who wanted to go ahead with all this, I _told_ you I didn’t want to!” 

“It was your idea in the first place!” Bob snapped back, his fists clenched ominously in front of him but Frank found he didn’t even care if he hit him again. “All because of your _precious_ human. You should never have stayed on land in the first place, if I hadn’t gone to save him with you then Jamia might still be alive.”

“No, if you hadn’t allowed yourself to get seduced by a Siren Jamia would still be alive.” Frank snarled back, gasping when Bob punched him hard again. He flew back even further and whimpered as pain seared through his eye. He couldn’t stop himself from sobbing then, overcome with sadness and guilt, but Bob only shook his head in disgust and leant down to scoop Jamia’s body into his arms.

“I’m going back to the town to tell them what you’ve done.” He whispered, choked by the lump in his own throat. “Don’t bother coming back… _ever_.” 

Frank watched through teary eyes as Bob swam away, carrying Jamia’s broken body with him. He watched until they disappeared, swallowed from view by the water and then he sank down onto the ocean floor and just cried.

Frank didn’t want to leave, as much as he didn’t want to face the other merpeople he didn’t want to abandon them either. He wanted to help send off their dead, he wanted to be able to pay his last respects and apologise for the destruction he had brought on them all. But the pain in his face was warning enough that if he dared try and return Bob would kill him, and so he forced himself to rise back up and with one final, pained look at the dead around him he turned and swam away from the Sirens and his town forever.

xXx

When Gerard woke up the first thing he was aware of was the aching pain throughout his entire body. It felt as though he had been hit by a truck, and even just the tiniest movement made him wince in agony. He couldn’t remember what had happened to him at first, and he felt disorientated when he slowly opened his eyes and found himself in an unfamiliar room. The ceiling lights were long and bright, blinding him until his eyes adjusted, but it felt like it took too long for him to finally see again.

The next thing the artist noticed was the wire coming out of the back of his hand. It was the only one on him as far as he could tell and he took that to be a good sign. Obviously he was in hospital, but he couldn’t be too badly hurt if he was only attached to a drip. There was a heart monitor and breathing apparatus beside the bed, but neither seemed to be switched on. 

The curtain around the bed was drawn, sectioning Gerard off from the rest of the ward. He listened but he couldn’t hear anyone else, just the gentle click and whirs of different machines. He guessed that it must be daytime if the lights were on and he wondered what day it was… How long had he been asleep? When he had last had his eyes open it had been night he was sure of that, but his memory was a little foggy.

Slowly… Slowly… Gerard gritted his teeth and forced himself up into a sitting position, his bones ached fiercely from the effort, but he soon slumped again against the pillows piled up behind him. He felt more awake now he was half sat up, and he felt some relief to be feeling so alert. His memory was coming back in stages too, but that didn’t make him feel better in the slightest.

Gerard looked around until he found a red button with ‘call nurse’ written in black above it. He leant across and jabbed it with his thumb, his body burning all the time and he decided the first thing he would do was ask for some painkillers. Then he’d see about how long it would take to get out of here.

“Frankie…” Gerard tested his voice, the word coming out in a broken whisper and he realised for the first time how thirsty he was. He felt as though he hadn’t drank in years, or eaten either, and he began to worry he had been asleep for too long. He desperately wanted to know if Frank was okay, after his own encounter with a Siren he couldn’t imagine the fight with an entire colony had gone well. He prayed that he would see Frank again, but he didn’t even know how long of the year apart he had left anymore.

Gerard lay motionless in the hospital bed, thinking about Frank and feeling his worry increase until his curtain was whipped back with a flourish and a young nurse appeared. 

“Ah, Mr Way! You’re finally awake.” She grinned, closing the curtain again behind her and walking to Gerard’s side where she fiddled with his drip for a moment. “How are you feeling?”

“Awful.” Gerard admitted quietly, watching the nurse closely. He wasn’t feeling awake enough to handle her bright energy and he groaned as she moved him to sit up more. “My entire body hurts, I need some painkillers.” 

“You’re already on a morphine drip.” The nurse indicated the tube in his hand and shrugged at him. “You’re on the highest dose, we can’t give you any more than you have. You seem awfully alert considering…” The nurse trailed off, frowning at Gerard. The artist could understand why, not only was he still in pain but the morphine didn’t seem to be affecting him at all. Gerard had felt the effects of the drug only once in his life, when he had been a teenager and broken three of his ribs, and at the time he had felt so high he had become convinced the doctors were trying to kill him… Now though, he felt as sober as any other day.

“We’re not even sure what happened to you.” The nurse continued speaking, looking suspiciously at Gerard as she checked his temperature and pulse. “Do you remember anything?”

Gerard shook his head quickly, knowing it was his best bet to just keep silent about what had happened. He wondered if what the Siren had done to him was causing his blood to dissolve the morphine before it could make it into his system. He wondered if he would ever be normal again… Would the pain even stop? Gerard knew nothing about the effects of a Siren kiss, Frank had never talked to him about it.

“You’re sure? Absolutely nothing at all?” The nurse asked gently, looking at Gerard with gentle, understanding eyes and the artist had the sudden, overwhelming urge to tell her everything. He opened his mouth to do so before changing his mind and shaking his head again. He wanted to get out of hospital, not get put into a psychiatric ward.

“I only remember going to to the harbour and then… just waking up here. I must have passed out or something.” Gerard spoke as innocently as possible, weakly running a hand through his hair. “Do you know how long I’ve been unconscious?”

“Only about fourteen hours.” The nurse sighed, clearly disappointed that Gerard didn’t remember more. “We received a phone call late last night about you being found on the harbour. We thought you had been saved from drowning, and though we found water in your lungs it shouldn’t have caused you to remain out for so long. We’ll run some more tests, but perhaps it’s just the effect of the shock.”

“Shock?” Gerard repeated, the nurse nodding and smiling gently at him. 

“Yes, we think you must have gone into severe shock at some point. Your skin was grey when you arrived here, and your breathing was very shallow. You also screamed whenever we moved you, so we thought that you might be in pain – which is why we gave you the morphine. But we’ve found no sprains or breaks in your bones, and all your organs seem to be fine.” 

Gerard blushed and bit his lips, nodding his head quietly. It was clear that the nurse was very confused over his condition and he wasn’t looking forward to meeting a doctor. He would go through whatever tests they gave him but deny all knowledge and probably leave a medical mystery. He couldn’t believe he had even been passed out for so long, the last thing he remembered was seeing the blue lights of the ambulance, lying in Frank’s arms. The Siren must have taken more out of him than he thought. 

“Well… Now you’re awake I’ll get someone to bring you some food and water, and the doctor will be up shortly.” The nurse sighed once it was clear Gerard didn’t want to say much more. “You should get some rest.”

“Do you know when I’ll be out of here?” Gerard asked softly, keeping as still as possible so that his body didn’t ache. He wanted to appear comfortable but he knew full well that he looked as in pain as he felt. 

“Well… Once we’ve done some more tests we’ll have a better idea, but as soon as you feel better we can let you go.” The nurse smiled sympathetically, waiting a moment before telling Gerard once again to get some rest, leaving quietly and closing the curtain behind her.

xXx

The ocean felt colder than usual… hostile. Bob felt sick at the thought of pushing Jamia over the drop off to let her sink into the abyss, but it was the traditional send off for all the merpeople’s dead and already the rest of the killed had been left to sink into oblivion. 

The remaining survivors kept at a respectful distance as Bob gently brushed a lock of hair off Jamia’s face before running his thumb along her cheekbone. He had cried so much in the past day he had no more energy in him to carry on. His face remained calm though his eyes betrayed his true feelings of despair as he leant down to kiss the mermaids forehead. 

Jamia had been dressed for her send off by the other women. A circlet of seaweed and shells had been placed on her head, helping to cover the seaweed bandages holding her skull together. Her hair was fanned out delicately around her, dotted with pearls. She looked beautiful and peaceful, and Bob didn’t think he would ever recover from the grief that was consuming him.

“Jamia…” He whispered, closing his eyes as he touched their foreheads together. “I should have told you long ago that I love you. I’m sorry.” Bob could feel sobs rising in his chest again and he struggled to hold them back, wishing with all his might that Jamia would wake up. He longed for her to open her eyes and be alive again, to be able to tell her he loved her and have her say it back. So many regrets were tormenting him; he should have told her he loved her, he shouldn’t have fought with the sirens, he shouldn’t have been seduced…. He shouldn’t have sent Frank away.

Bob didn’t want to think about Frank. He was still holding onto the anger that had caused him to send the younger man away, but with each hour that anger was dissolving and he was beginning to realise he was making a mistake. Frank would have wanted to pay his last respects to Jamia and Bob had taken that chance away from him, but it was all too late now. 

Bob gradually managed to tear himself away from Jamia’s body, watching with an increasing feeling of suffocation as two mermaids swam forward to lift Jamia’s body and let It sink down into the darkness of the drop off, weighted down by rocks tied to her tail. 

Bob turned away, unable to watch Jamia’s body disappear. He swam away from the other merpeople, struggling to breathe as grief sank through his heart like the harpoon he had killed so many Sirens with. No one could understand how he was feeling, and he wanted no one to come near him as he swam back towards the town. 

“Bob - What about Frank?” One of the women called after him, causing Bob to tense up and squeeze his eyes shut for a moment. 

“He won’t come back…” He said softly, feeling a deep longing to be with his friend again. Frank was the only one who could ever fathom what Bob was feeling, and yet the blonde found himself growing bitter again. “If he does show up… Then we’ll kill him.”


	17. Chapter seventeen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally we reach the last chapter of this story. This was one of the most difficult stories I've ever written, and I am so relieved its done! I fear the ending may not be all too spectacular, but I pray it will do. I wanted an epilogue too so I've put that as an extra chapter, so don't miss that and... Otherwise, thank you all for your support on this and please enjoy  
> xo

Gerard stood on the pier, his torso leant against the rails as he gazed out at the grey water. The wind ruffled his hair and chilled his skin, but he didn’t really feel it. He had left the hospital an hour before and was yet to return home. He had gone straight to the pier, though he didn’t expect to see Frank, it was still daylight and now that no more disappearances had occurred people were beginning to come back in the day. 

No one paid the artist any attention as he stared out over the water. His sleeves had ridden up slightly and he was yet to remove his hospital bracelet, he idly hooked a finger beneath it, tugging gently as his eyes remained fixed on the horizon. He wanted to see Frank more than anything… He had spent his three days in the hospital watching the local news and waiting for any more disappearances but there were none. Something had obviously been done to get rid of the Siren problem, but what did that mean for Frank?

Gerard sighed and shivered as the cool wind blew, he had just a light jacket with him but it wasn’t keeping him warm. He knew he should go home and warm up, rest… The doctors were still baffled over his condition, not sure what had happened to him but he had been stable and seemed to be returning to his old self so he had managed to persuade them to let him go. He had been strictly told he would need to rest for a week at least, but standing on the pier wasn’t exactly strenuous. 

Gerard turned away from the rails and walked back along the pier towards the harbour wall. The pubs had reopened, but they still weren’t receiving much business. People were still too afraid that the disappearances would start again.

Gerard made his way to the pub he had once taken Frank to for lunch when they had first met. He remembered the way Frank had eaten the food, amazed by its taste, its texture and its smell. Gerard missed that, he missed Frank’s constant awe and curiosity. It reminded him to take more joy from the little things, but it was impossible to be joyful about anything with Frank gone.

Gerard stepped through the heavy doors of the pub and was immediately enveloped by warmth. He shivered with relief and walked slowly to the bar, pulling the sleeves of his jacket over his hands subconsciously as he gazed at the line of spirits above the bar. He hadn’t been allowed to drink anything in hospital of course and now he was out he desperately needed one. He didn’t have a problem, he would never admit that he had a problem. As soon as Frank came back he’d be fine.

The barman looked relieved to have a customer at last, the bar empty other than for two other men who were sat at opposite ends of the room, drinking beer and messing with their phones. The place had always been popular, with tourists and locals alike but it would be a while before people would recover from the many lives that had been lost.

The barman smiled encouragingly at Gerard, trying too hard to put him at ease and Gerard’s voice was quiet as he mumbled what he would like drink. 

“Comin’ right up.” The barman smiled, grabbing a glass and pushing it beneath the optic that held some spiced rum. It would warm Gerard up and suited the cold weather outside. He had asked for a double, but when he watched the barman put down the glass and add a cube of ice he couldn’t help but think it wasn’t enough. 

“Pretty cold out there.” The barman said conversationally as Gerard slid onto one of the stools, paying for his drink and taking the glass in hand. “Nights are starting to draw in too… Hoping custom will pick up soon.” 

Gerard kept quiet and simply nodded, downing his glass in one and sliding it back to the barman to refill. The man looked somewhat baffled but he turned and added more rum to the glass before handing it Gerard again. 

“Bad day?”

“Something like that.” Gerard mumbled, his cheeks pink. Was it that obvious? “More of a bad year… really.” 

“I hear ya.” The barman nodded sagely, leaning his elbow on the bar and watching Gerard sip his rum this time. The artist didn’t want to look like an alcoholic, or worse, some sad lonely man drowning his sorrows in an empty bar. “Since those disappearances started I think everyone’s been having a bad year… Wait, oh God you’re not the family of a victim are you?”

“No.” Gerard sighed, the barman sighing with relief and blushing himself for almost slipping up. 

“Sorry… You just never know now. It’s awful really, just awful. I knew a few of the sailors myself… Regulars, ya know?” Gerard got the impression that the barman was mostly talking to himself, but he could understand the need to have a friendly ear to chat to, even if the ear wasn’t listening. “It’s the not knowing that makes it worse though… You know some people have been wondering if we have like a uh… Oh what’s it called, that triangle thing.”

“The Bermuda triangle.” Gerard filled in, growing thoughtful. Perhaps the Bermuda triangle was simply a Siren stronghold, or perhaps it was something entirely different. There was enough mythical things in Gerard’s life for him to deal with, he didn’t even want to try to consider. 

“Yeah, that’s the one!” The barman grinned, obviously thrilled to have some input. “I personally don’t much about it, I only know it’s creepy that all those men disappeared… and for seemingly no reason. Haven’t even found the bodies –”

“I’m sorry,” Gerard interrupted, turning his eyes on the barman. “But can we not talk about this?” 

“Oh! Oh, sorry of course… Sorry. I talk too much. Sorry.” The barman looked flustered and apologised too much for Gerard who just tuned out, his stomach churning and he pushed the rest of his rum away. Suddenly he didn’t want to drink anymore. 

Gerard supposed despite seeing it so often on the news, he had forgotten that other people were suffering so much from the disappearances. He had known of course that it was awful that so many men had lost their lives, and that the town was frightened, but hadn’t even considered the family and friends of the sailors who would be grieving. Never knowing what happened to the men they loved. Gerard suddenly felt ashamed of himself for coping so awfully with Frank leaving… The merman had had no real choice, and now the Sirens had been stopped. Gerard only hoped Frank was still safe.

Gerard softened and stared at his rum, downing the last of it and gazing into the empty glass. The barman hesitated before asking him if he wanted another but Gerard smiled, shook his head, and asked for a pineapple juice instead.

xXx

Gerard stayed in the bar until closing, even chatting to the barman and trying to be friendly. He had to get his life back on track he decided. Needed to start selling paintings again, and to be more positive. Frank would be allowed back on land in just seven months. That felt like a long time to Gerard, but he reasoned… just one more month and they’d be halfway. As long as Frank was safe and well, Gerard would be fine.

Gerard made his way to the pier to wait and see if Frank would appear. He wasn’t sure if he had asked him to come at night, or if Frank had suggested it, or if Gerard had simply dreamt it all… His memories from the night Frank saved him were vague and unclear, but he prayed that they had made some agreement to meet before the year ended. Either way, he would wait every night until Frank returned just in case.

Gerard slowly sat down and let his legs dangle over the edge of the pier, resting his forehead on the rail. He felt tired and even colder than before after leaving the warmth of the pub, but he would wait regardless. 

The sky was cloudless and starry, but that made the night even colder. Gerard huddled inside his jacket, feeling his eyes begin to droop. He was sure he wouldn’t fall asleep, he was too cold, but no sooner had the thought passed his mind than he dropped unconscious, his body still exhausted after his Siren ordeal.

For hours Gerard slept against the hand rail of the pier, his lips parted and his cheeks and nose bright red from the cold. He would have stayed there for much longer, perhaps all night, if a warm hand didn’t gently touch his cheek and brush his hair aside. 

“Mm…” Gerard stirred awake, mumbling softly and slowly raising a hand to rub at his eyes. When he opened them he was at first confused, realising he must have fallen asleep but he couldn’t guess for how long. To begin with he didn’t notice what had woke him, but then a wave surged up and with it came Frank, the merman planting his hands on the wood of the pier so that he could lever his body upwards and sit beside Gerard. 

“Frank!” Gerard gasped, his hands shaking as he immediately flung his arms around the merman’s neck. The relief of seeing him alive and well was overwhelming and it woke Gerard up rapidly. He felt like he could cry as he squeezed Frank tight. The younger man held him just as desperately, burying his face into Gerard’s neck and getting him wet as he groaned quietly. 

“Gerard… Oh… It’s such a relief to see you.” Frank’s heart was pounding as he clung to his lover, his body tense and his eyes stinging with tears. He had been coming to the pier every night since leaving Gerard for the ambulance, praying to see him. Now he was no longer welcome with the merpeople he had been sleeping in the harbour, he knew it was risky, but he just needed to be as close to land as possible.   
“Frankie… I’m so glad you’re okay…” Gerard rocked Frank gently in his arms, gazing up at the stars through blurred vision as he clutched the merman to him. In his head he was silently thanking God, thanking any superior being which might control their fate for bringing Frank back to him safely. Gerard had never been religious, but in that moment it just felt right to thank _someone_.

“You have no idea how worried I was…” Gerard sighed, pressing kiss after kiss to Frank’s neck, jaw and face. The younger man laughed softly, though it was tinged with sadness.

“I was worried about _you_.” He cooed, cupping his hands around the back of Gerard’s neck as he leaned back to gaze at him. “Oh Gee… I wish I could be back with you on land.” He whispered, feeling choked up but he tried hard not to cry. 

Frank didn’t know how he was going to last another seven months without his lover. He had no friends anymore, he had been outcast and was now the enemy of everyone he had ever known. All he had left was Gerard, but already being out of the water was making his lungs ache and his tail was growing dry and uncomfortable. 

“Frankie… Frankie Frankie Frankie… Promise me you’ll come here every night. I _have_ to see you every night if I’m having going to handle being apart from you.” Gerard groaned, too overcome by his own emotions to notice that Frank wasn’t quite himself. He kissed his lips over and over, Frank sighing into his mouth and trying to reciprocate but everything in him just ached. He wished more than anything that he could go back to Gerard’s apartment with him and sleep for a thousand years.

“I will Gerard… I will, I promise.” He whispered, nodding his head and sighing as he closed his eyes for a moment, clutching Gerard’s shirt and resting their foreheads together. “But right now you need to get home, you’re freezing… You shouldn’t have been sleeping out here.” He whispered. 

“What? No! No way, I’m not going home so soon, Frankie I’ve been dying to see you.” Gerard gasped, horrified Frank would be sending him away already and he cupped his face as he met his gaze. “Frank I’m not leaving, I love you.”

“And I love you.” Frank replied, his voice growing thick with tears and Gerard watched in astonishment as Frank began to cry. “You have no idea how much… I’ve lost _everything_ except you, I need to be home with you… I need to be out of this God damn ocean Gerard please, _please_ take me home.”

Frank fell against Gerard’s chest and began to sob in earnest, stunning the artist into the silence. The sudden outburst had seemed to come out of nowhere and Gerard just felt confusion as he tenderly held Frank too him and rubbed his naked back. He hushed him gently, letting him hide in his jacket for a long moment. 

Frank felt embarrassed and his cheeks grew hot as he held onto Gerard. The crying was making his gills burn as they too tried to draw in air along with his mouth, but he couldn’t stop the tears. For two days he had swam aimlessly about the harbour, hiding from sight from the humans and thinking of all he had witnessed and all he had lost. Sweet, sweet Jamia… His best friend… Half of the town that had helped raised him. All of it… gone. Only Gerard remained, and yet Frank had to be separated from him for another seven months. It was almost too much to bear.

“Frankie…” Gerard whispered softly, closing his eyes as he planted a soft kiss to Frank’s forehead. “Please don’t cry… You know I’d take you home any moment if I could.” He sighed, trying to think of a way that they could make it work. He could buy a bathtub, fill it with water so Frank wouldn’t be uncomfortable. If he could get enough money he could convert the bathroom into a wet room… but that was no good, he couldn’t keep Frank in one place like a prisoner. 

“You can’t stay locked away in my shower Frankie.” He chuckled weakly, tenderly rubbing the nape of Frank’s neck with his fingertips, soothing him. “You need to have space, freedom… You have your friends in your town to spend time with. You’ll be fine baby.” 

“Not anymore Gee.” Frank groaned, moving up to lay his head on Gerard’s shoulder instead, his sobbing had ceased but silent tears continued to roll down his cheeks as he stared blankly over the dark, cold water. “I’ve been outcast.” 

“What!?” Gerard’s eyes grew wide and he pulled back to look at Frank’s face, his heart missing a beat. “What do you mean outcast?” 

“I mean… If I go back there, they’ll kill me.” Frank said simply, his voice cool and calm. He was still in shock really, part of him still didn’t believe Bob had meant what he said. “The Sirens killed almost everyone Gee… They killed Jamia.” 

Gerard gasped quietly, a lump rising in his own throat and he tightened his arms around Frank. Although he didn’t know Jamia personally he knew she was Frank’s friend and he realised now that Frank was grieving. 

“And… Bob?” He asked quietly, not sure he wanted to know the answer.

“He’s the one who sent me away.” Frank sighed, closing his eyes for a moment and bowing his head as a wave of hurt passed over him. “He was in love with Jamia. I never knew but… Well. We had a fight and now I can’t go back. I’m stuck until I can finally get my legs back.”

“Oh Frankie…” Gerard sighed, squeezing his eyes shut and holding Frank close for a long while. He wanted to say something to comfort him but it was hard to think straight when all he could think was how unfair it all was. Frank had only been trying to protect everyone and now he was left to grieve, alone and abandoned by the few survivors left. Gerard couldn’t even be there for him all the time, and that hurt most of all.

“Well I…” Gerard trailed off, biting his lip, trying to think of what someone who was good at comforting people might say. “I’m sure Bob didn’t mean it.” He offered. “People say things they don’t mean when they’re grieving… Maybe just give him some time and then try talking to him about it?”

“You really want me to risk it?” Frank asked quietly, looking at Gerard with those deep, innocent eyes of his and Gerard sighed, melting into his gaze.

“No…” He confessed quietly, feeling weak and cowardly. “No I don’t want you to… I want you to be safe. Always.”

“Then I need to stay as far away from the town as possible.” Frank shrugged, speaking like it wasn’t a big deal but Gerard’s heart was breaking at the thought. 

“You mean… Alone?” He asked quietly, Frank shrugging and idly drawing patterns over Gerard’s chest. 

“I have no other choice.” He sighed, trying hard not to let himself become upset again. He would supress his emotions as much as possible, and just focus on surviving until he could get back onto land. “But if I see you every night, it will make things easier. Much easier.” Frank managed a small but genuine smile, his eyes soft as he gazed into Gerard’s. 

The artist sighed, wanting to complain and give another solution. One that wouldn’t involve Frank living in isolation all the time, but his mind came up blank. He wouldn’t let him risk his life, not now he knew he was safe.

Reluctantly Gerard gave in and forced a smile back, nodding his head and tenderly kissing Frank’s lips. “Alright…” He agreed, stroking his thumb beneath Frank’s eye. “I’ll be here every night, I promise you.” 

Frank smiled warmly, nodding his head and relaxing slightly. Being in Gerard’s arms made him feel much better. He could cope when he was here, even if it was only for a short amount of time, in the freezing cold night. He would take just a second with Gerard if that’s all he could have, it made his heart stop hurting for as long they were together. Even if being out of the water made him feel like the air was suffocating him, he would wait long enough to feel like he was drowning before saying goodnight. 

“I love you Gee…” He whispered, smiling and kissing the older man when he murmured the words back into his mouth.

xXx

Months dragged by for both Frank and Gerard. Though they saw each other most nights, whenever no one was around to witness them, it was torture spending the days without each other, especially for Frank. Being alone in the harbour, wasting every day swimming lazily about the anchors and fishing nets he began to feel incredibly lonely. 

Frank knew nothing of how the other merpeople were doing, after three months he considered risking returning to the town, but Gerard seemed anxious by the idea so Frank had forgotten it. By month five the urge was almost irresistible. He hated how things had been left with Bob and he wanted to see him again before he went back on land.

Winter became spring, and spring became summer, and the final month seemed to roll around all of a sudden after a lifetime of waiting. When Frank realised he had only weeks now before he could go on land again he decided to risk going back to the town after all. This time though he didn’t suggest the idea to Gerard, not wanting him to worry.

Frank knew that when he left the ocean he would never return. He would stay with Gerard and lose his ability to metamorphose after two months together, and from then on any time in the ocean would be spent as a human with his lover. If Frank wanted a chance to make amends with Bob, he had to do it then.

Swimming deeper into the ocean than he had been since being outcast Frank began to feel nervous, the water felt colder the deeper he went but he remembered his way back perfectly. It felt good to stretch his tail and swim properly, not worrying about straying too far from the harbour. He felt alive again.

For a while Frank just swam, focusing on nothing but the muscles of his tail and the cool water being drawn through his gills. He began to feel gradually less anxious, remembering that he could swim fast when he had the space and that if anything bad happened he had a good chance that he would be able to swim away. Though it had been so long now since the fight with the Sirens, surely the animosity Bob harboured for him would have blown over by now.

Though Frank’s heart still hurt whenever he thought about Jamia and the way she had looked after the Siren fight, he had overcome his grief for her. Bob had been in love with her, Frank knew that, but it had been six months so far and Frank just hoped that had been time enough for Bob to get over the worst of his sorrow.

As Frank got closer to the town he began to slow down, using just his caudal fin to propel himself through the water. He was still feeling calm, but he knew that he should be cautious. He wasn’t sure what to expect when he reached the town, so as he reached its border he simply drifted into it, keeping as slow and silent as possible.

Though Frank hadn’t known what to expect, it was still a shock for him as he glided through the water to find that the town was silent and empty… Like a ghost town. The makeshift homes that the merpeople had created themselves were empty and lifeless, some of them even caved in. Frank looked into all of them, and swam to the drop off to inspect not only his old cave but any others he had known to be occupied, but all were empty.

Frank swam back into the centre of the town, looking around slowly and feeling his stomach sink. There was no one here. For a minute a blind panic consumed him, a million things racing through his mind and he wondered if the rest of the survivors had been killed somehow, if the Sirens had returned… But no sailors had gone missing, and after a while Frank realised with a jolt that the few possessions people had owned were also gone.

“Oh…” Frank felt a crushing disappointment hit him as he realised the merpeople must have simply moved away. He couldn’t really blame them if they had… This place held bad memories now, too many had been lost, too many homes had been left empty for it to be possible for anyone to forget what horrors they had witnessed. Of course they would have chosen to leave.

Frank felt pain slice through his heart and a sob rise in his throat. They had all gone and left him behind… Not so much as a message in a bottle left for him. He truly did have nothing left now but the human world.

xXx

The final month in the ocean passed in a dazed blur for Frank who could never quite believe that the merpeople had all gone. He spent his days worrying over them, hoping they were okay and wishing to see them again, even if only to apologise to Bob once more. But of course they never showed, and soon enough they were pushed out of his mind when on a warm, summer night he was able to leave the water at last.

Gerard made his way to the pier with a racing heart, his hands trembling as they held some clothes for Frank to change into. It didn’t feel possible that this could really be the night, and as desperate as he was to take Frank home he was trying not to get his hopes up just in case something went wrong. 

Gerard had coped only by seeing Frank on all the nights he was able to, and he had come far in the year they had spent apart. After his rocky start he had recovered himself and his mermaid themed art had taken off. He was earning more money than ever, painting more than ever, and was more than ready to take his lover home.

The artist reached the pier in the hours just after midnight, as he always did, and after a quick scan to make sure no one was around he ducked beneath the rails and landed on the slim patch of sand beneath. 

Frank was waiting in the shallow water when Gerard appeared and he smiled nervously at him as he leant up on his elbows. 

“Gee!” He beamed, laughing quietly as Gerard dropped the clothes and waded into the water to lift Frank into his arms. They kissed deeply as Gerard carried Frank onto the sand, holding him up by the waist. 

Even in the air Frank’s tail dragged in the sand, his caudal fin curling upwards at the ends where it began to dry. He paid no mind to it though, focusing instead on kissing Gerard and trying to ignore the pounding of his heart. His tail didn’t seem to be doing anything, and Frank felt sick at the thought that he may never get his legs back.

Counting down the seconds, it felt like an age for the two men before Frank suddenly gasped and threw his head back, gritting his teeth and digging his nails into Gerard’s shoulders as his tail began to split from the middle. 

Gerard’s eyes widened and he held Frank out at arms-length, watching in awed silence as his tail began two halves, and then his fins disappeared and became feet, and lastly his scales seemed to sink back into his skin. The gills on his neck closed up until there was no sign that they had ever been there, and when Frank slumped into Gerard’s arms he was human again. 

Gerard lowered himself down onto the sand, resting back on his knees as he held Frank gently and moved to tenderly cup his face. 

“Frankie?” He whispered softly, smoothing his thumb beneath Frank’s cheekbone. For a moment Frank simply breathed deeply, but then he slowly opened his eyes and smiled at the artist. The smile was exhausted, emotional and full of relief and he fell into Gerard’s arms with a sob of delight. 

“Gee!” He whimpered, crushing his lips to Gerard’s and holding him tight. He had his legs, he was human again at last and after the longest, most painful year of his life he was finally able to return to Gerard’s apartment and be with him forever.


	18. Epilogue

Frank stood at the harbour, resting his hands on the wall and smiling as he gazed out at the waves. Gerard was behind him, smiling and shaking hands with people as he posed for photographs for the local news. He had become something of a small celebrity and his art work was so popular now that all along the harbour his work was on display. 

In three days Frank would be accompanying his husband to New York, where he had a contract with a gallery to show case his work. The two men had bought a quaint little place beside a park and Gerard’s family were coming to help them move in. 

Frank had settled into his life with Gerard rapidly, and he almost couldn’t remember ever having a life without him. His family were adorable and they all doted on him, and their wedding the year before had been a beautiful and emotional affair.

Frank had been on land for six years, and though he remembered the way he and Gerard had met it all felt like a dream he had once had, very long ago… He wasn’t even sure if Gerard could remember it, they had told his family that they met in the library in the fantasy section, and that they had both wanted the same book about mermaids. After a playful squabble Gerard had invited Frank to dinner, citing they could read the book together and it was simply love at first site…

They had told the story so many times now Frank almost believed it… If it wasn’t for the memories he had whilst standing here at the harbour he supposed he would have dismissed it all as a dream by now and would truly be living the lie they told Gerard’s family. Already Frank couldn’t remember the names or faces of any of the merpeople he had once loved, and the sea held nothing but a vague mystery for him now.

Frank smiled as he turned away to watch Gerard getting photographed, chuckling at how uncomfortable the artist seemed to be in the limelight. He caught his gaze and blew him a kiss, Gerard blushing and smiling lovingly back. 

Frank couldn’t wait to move to New York, he couldn’t wait to be away from the sea. He thought that maybe at first he had missed it… but now its hold on him was slipping away. His memories of time in the ocean and soon enough Franks dream really would be true… 

Only two weeks after moving to the big city both Frank and Gerard had lost all knowledge of their true meeting. They shared their love of the sea and mermaids in Gerard’s paintings and the books they read… But it was only ever a sweet little fantasy. They believed wholly the fictional first meeting they had made six years ago and although the merpeople and town Frank had once loved never was remembered… At least he and his human lived happily ever after.


End file.
